What Doesn't Kill You
by TheJoker'sGotMyHeart
Summary: Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness. Let the chaos ensue. That's the Joker's Philosophy, Knives, Bombs, and Manipulaton. And when a lovely little firecracker is thrown into the mix, you know sparks are gonna fly. Joker/OC R&R!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** DC comincs own Batman and the Joker, i am merely playing off their greatness.

**Prologue**

**A/N:** Hey everyone. THis is my first fanfic, YAY, so i hop you like it :]. I have had my good friend Incarnate009 to look my story over and fix it up a bit, but there isn't anything so overwhelmingly new that you would need to read it again, but maybe you'll like it better the second time? Lol anyway, Reviews are greatly appreciated!!

(Beta-read by Incarnate009)

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To me, everything he did was just one crazy game, and my life changed dramatically when I met him face to face. It was then that I realized that I didn't care. I didn't _need _to care about the world around me, because it seemed that he shared a common interest with me: He wanted, more than anything, to watch the world _burn._

When I met him, I realized something: I wanted the world to burn, too.

But I shouldn't get too far ahead just yet. Even before my life changed, I've never been what one would call "average." I was as far from "average" as one could be. Well... not as far as he was, of course.

I never learned what really happened that night, but when I awoke, all I could see was the never-ending darkness before me. The atmosphere was void of all light, and the flat surface on which I found myself was cold and wet. And to make things worse... I was undeniably alone.

The sounds of the night echoed around me, and I felt as though the world were closing in on me. My breathing became shallow and ragged, and I felt the most horrid chill run through my body. It was then that I knew something was very wrong. I knew, deep within my soul, that something just wasn't right.

That same wicked chill shot though me again, and before I knew it, I found myself panicking. I attempted to move around, but, to my horror, I discovered that I had been tied down. I was frozen, trapped, incapable of escape. My mind had gone numb, yet I found the will to open my mouth to scream, but no sound emerged.

At that very moment, I was absolutely sure I was going to die. There was no doubt in my mind. It was only a matter of time before my life came to a horrific, and abrupt, end. I lay there for what felt like an eternity.

_How long do I have to live?_ I wondered. _A minute? An hour? Maybe..._ No, I couldn't bear being in here longer than that.

It didn't take too long for me to figure out who had kidnapped me, and I knew that if I couldn't die _with_ him, I would die _because_ of him. Again, I wriggled about, trying vainly to sever the ties that bound me. Although I knew that I had been tied together, I still felt like some invisible force was binding me. Admitting defeat, I lay there quietly, knowing that I wouldn't get out of this unscathed.

Not this time.

Time passed too slowly, and I allowed my mind to wander. I could hardly believe that I had escaped far worse situations than my current one. Had it really been pure luck that I had survived before? I hoped not. For if it _had _been luck, then that was a smack in the face that said that there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about me.

Now, I truly wished that I had learned that lesson sooner. If I had, I wouldn't have been living what would become the most horrific and exciting moments of my life. If I had learned that lesson... I never would have met _him._

Ha! What a stupid thought. Some might say that I was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time." But even now, as I waited to die, I knew that it was just the opposite. I was in the perfect place at the perfect time.

No matter how much I tried to tell myself that I hated him for doing this to me, for taking me, for changing me, I knew that it was useless. Why? It's quite simple, really: I _wanted _to be taken. I _wanted_ to be changed, even if I wasn't aware of my innermost desires at the time.

I had lived my entire life fighting against this world, so maybe I felt that it was high-time that the world was dragged into the hell and chaos that I had been forced to endure. Maybe, just maybe, I wanted to show people how horrible the world truly was. Deep down, I still wanted to fight. I _loved_ to fight, but maybe it was more fun on _this_ side. The wicked side. The winning side, as I saw it to be.

But that was all in the past. I was on the verge of death, and all those sweet memories of chaos and destruction were coming back to bite me in the ass. Even if I wanted to, there was nothing I could do to save myself. But, strangely enough, I _didn't _want to save myself. I had been perfectly content with the life I'd lived.

I only wished I could see him one last time and tell him all the things I had wanted to tell him. All the things I had been too afraid to say before. I hadn't been afraid of death, but of something that meant more. What had it been? Rejection? Trust? Maybe... _love? _Whatever it was, it was a fear that was unknown to me. Something I craved, and at the same time, feared, with every ounce of my being.

My eyes grew heavy, and, believing that I had fallen into the hands of Death, I slowly allowed them to close. At that moment, I didn't fear death, but life. I feared living a life of rejection... of separation from _him._

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_There you have it. The prologue to my story :]. This version, in my opinion, is much better than the first and soon the rest of my chapters will be modified. In the mean time, please drop me a review. I love 'em!_


	2. Different

**Disclaimer: As much as i wished i owned the Joker & Btman, i dont**

**Chapter 1: **Different

**A/N: ANother revised chapter. Love it or hate it, its here.**

(Beta-read by Incarnate009)

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I looked up and around, and found that I was taken with the city around me. This was my first time being in Gotham in years, and I was surprised at how much the city had grown. I stepped out into the bright sunlight, allowing its rays to warm me. It had been a long, cold ride on the bus, but the heated rays now overpowered the cold that had all but numbed me.

Once I felt the shower of sun over me, I made my way to the doors of the building with my bags in hand. I stepped through the revolving doors, and again found myself amazed with the astounding décor. The ceilings were high with decorative images etched into them. The floors were made of marble that was so clean you could easily see your reflection. But what I found truly breathtaking, was the waterfall against the far wall.

It was built with what looked like stones, and it reached a decent height along the wall. The water fell into a beautiful little pond that was alive with many small fish. The colors of the dazzling little fish made the display stand out even more than I had thought at first glance.

Glancing around, I realized that I probably looked rather stupid standing in the middle of the lobby staring like a total idiot, so I made my way over to the check-in desk. I was greeted kindly by a middle-aged man with brown hair, and big rimmed glassed that hid his eyes.

"Hello, Miss. How may I be of service to you today?" he asked with a thick French accent.

I couldn't help but smile at the accent that clearly didn't fit his appearance. "Yes. I'm Annabelle Mathews. I believe I have a room reserved," I said softly.

From the look on his face, I could tell that he knew exactly what I meant.

Oh, great. Here comes the special treatment…

"Ah, Miss Mathews! We have been expecting you. Mr. Wayne chose a beautiful room for you, and I am confident that you will enjoy it. Here you are," he said as gave me the key. "It's room 2204 on the second to last floor. I hope you have a nice day, Miss."

With that said, I took the key and quickly found the elevator, for I didn't want to be forced to speak with anyone who decided that they wanted to help little old me, one of Bruce Wayne's oldest friends. I truly hated how people treated someone differently because of the people they knew. It was such a shallow way to act. And quite frankly I definitely wasn't used to it.

As I got into the elevator, I let out a sigh of relief, glad that there was no one else inside. It gave me more time to think without being bothered by anyone who decided it would be nice to strike up a pointless conversation. As high as my floor was, the elevator made it up in record time. I got off the elevator and walked to my room, which was conveniently at the end of the hall.

When I made it to the door, I pulled out the key card and slid it through the lock on the door. With a _beep_ the door unlocked, and I entered my temporary home. I closed the door and dropped my bags in the entrance, glad to finally be able to give my aching arms a much-needed break.

I suddenly decided that a brief tour of my room was called for, but I was unable to proceed, for I felt a hand on my shoulder. At that very moment, my reflexes kicked in. I grabbed the hand, and, with all my strength, managed to pull the body over my shoulder and onto the floor.

It was then that I realized that the man was Bruce, and I couldn't help but laugh. He laughed with me before standing up and straightening out his shirt.

"Well, that wasn't the welcoming I was expecting," he said with a chuckle.

I laughed again and apologized. "I'm sorry about that. You just caught me off guard. Besides, I doubt that that actually hurt, especially with you being… well, you."

A smirk crossed his features before he placed a finger to his mouth. "It's our little secret," he murmured.

He didn't even have to explain what this "secret" was. I'd known for quite some time that Bruce Wayne was Batman. It had been a few years since he had told me over the phone, and at that time, I'd had the feeling that he was recovering from the affects of beer party.

At that time, he had also said that I was one of the few people who knew Batman's identity. From what I understood, there were only a few people, aside from myself, that knew Bruce's secret: his butler, Alfred Pennyworth; his friend and employee, Lucius Fox; and his childhood friend, Rachel Dawes. We were the only people who knew the dark secret that the "Playboy Prince of Gotham" hid from the rest of the world.

"So, how do you like Gotham so far?" he asked.

I thought about it a minute then said, "Well, it's not what I remember, but I think I'm going to like it here. It's, uh… definitely a change of scenery."

I couldn't help but grin as I thought about the "good old times." My "usual scenery" consisted of nightclubs and alleyways. I never really had a nice home, per se, but I loved the nightlife. Clubs, parties, anywhere I could go to have some fun. "Fun" being defined as the major ass kicking I could dish out to all the sly guys who thought they could have a little "fun" of their own with me.

I was pulled back to the present when I heard a loud ringing. It was Bruce's phone.

"Alfred? What's going on?" There was a suffocating silence, before Bruce started talking again. "Right now? Okay. I'm watching it as we speak."

He walked into the living room and quickly turned on the news. Right there, on the screen, was a face I recognized far too well. It was Gotham's most infamous mass-murderer, the Joker.

But… wasn't he supposed to be locked away in Arkham?

The image on the screen was clearly part of a poorly made videotape, since the screen crackled as the lunatic spoke. "Good morning, citizens of Gotham. It's been quite some time since we last saw each other, but now… I believe it's time for us to take care of our… _unfinished business."_

Judging from his tone of voice, I knew something screwy was about to happen.

"You… tried locking me away in that god-forsaken place, which wasn't… Very… _Nice._ But… with all we've been through… I'm not gonna hold it against you." He let out a cackle of laughter, and continued on with that signature smile on his face. "I'm just glad that we can finally get back to our little… _Game."_ He smacked his lips together laughed and the screen went blank, with that manic laughter of his, drowning out the static from the tape.

I looked to Bruce, who was frozen in place. A look of hatred and rage been sketched into his face

Moving to stand next to him, I took his hand, trying to calm him down. "Bruce? Hello? Come on, say something!" I pleaded, trying to get him back to normal.

Or at least semi-normal.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, he began to move toward the door. As he neared his target, he grabbed my bags, and carried them into a room off of the kitchen area. When he came back, he just stood there looking like a man faced with the most difficult dilemma of his life.

"I'm… going to go back to my place. It's right upstairs if you need anything. If I'm not there, then Alfred will be, so please… don't hesitate to drop by…" With that said, Bruce strode to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the hallway.

He hesitated for a moment, and said, "There's a dress in your closet for tonight. I'm holding a party, and I wanted you to come."

I walked over to him, pulled him into a hug, and whispered, "I wouldn't miss it for the world" before dropping my arms to wave to him as he left.

As I closed the door behind him, I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. I walked into my room to see this dress Bruce had spoken of, and gasped.

It must have been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The outfit was black, strapless, and very close fitting. It appeared to be long enough to reach my knees. For a brief second, I felt a little wary. I knew that I wasn't a big fan of dresses, for I much preferred wearing some nice skinny jeans or leather pants and a nice shirt when I went partying. But, as much as I hated dresses, I knew it would make Bruce happy if I wore it.

After all, I had come back to Gotham for a bit of change, hadn't I?

Holding the dress close to me, I sat on my bed, and allowed myself to stare blankly at the ceiling.

A party with the elite of Gotham, I thought. This is going to be interesting.

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_Hope you enjoyed it. Please drop a review :]_


	3. For me?

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. All credit goes to DC comics**

**Chapter 2:** For Me?

**A/N: This is another Beta'd chapter so hope you enjoy :]**

(Beta-read by Incarnate009)

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Before I knew what had happened, I had fallen asleep.

When I woke up, it was already four in the afternoon. I had slept for five hours!! I jumped out of bed and stretched for a few minutes. I only had three hours until Bruce's party, so I decided it would be a good idea if I unpacked a bit.

Although I had brought two bags with me, I didn't have many clothes, so unpacking didn't take all that long. As I looked for a place to put my clothes, I remembered that Bruce had mentioned something about a dresser in my room. It only took me a moment to locate the dresser, which had been pushed against the far wall, and put my clothes inside.

I had brought about eight pairs of pants, most of which were either leather or skinny jeans, and ten shirts. Unlike most girls, I had only brought a few pairs of shoes: a pair of converse and some Ugg boots. Since unpacking had only eaten up twenty minutes, I walked out to the kitchen to fix myself some dinner.

To be honest, I loved eating, so I needed something in my stomach at that very moment. As strange as it was, although I ate a lot, I was far from being overweight. That thought put a smile on my face as I headed to the kitchen to pig-out.

When I reached the kitchen, I opened the fridge and all the cabinets, and found exactly what I had been looking for: a box of Cheez-Itz, some Pop Tarts, Bagel Bites, and... rum. Gathering my findings in my arms, I carried it into the living room, and began to eat.

For a woman of twenty-four, I knew that I acted an awful lot like a teenager, or even a little kid. But I didn't care. I loved every minute of it. When I had nearly finished the snacks, I decided that I should probably start getting ready for Bruce's glorious party.

I hated to admit it, even to myself, but I was actually starting to get excited about this party.

I cleaned up my mess in the living room, and walked lazily back into my room. Upon entering, I set my outfit on the bed, and went to shower in the adjoining bathroom, which was nothing less than amazing. The marble floors sparkled, and the Jacuzzi tub and two-person glass shower seemed to scream my name.

Once inside the shower, I turned on the water, surprised at how quickly the walls began to steam. As I allowed the water to relax me, I let out a laugh. Everything about this place was so wonderful, and I wasn't at all used to the luxuries that now surrounded me.

After all, if I weren't in Gotham, I'd be at home working and trying to get by. I really did have a problem with always trying to help someone else with their problems before taking care of my own.

When I finished rinsing my hair, I stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel as the cold air made contact with my skin. I walked back into my room to throw on some pajamas before getting to work on my hair. At the moment, I didn't think that my naturally straight hair would look right at a fancy party, so I dried my hair and threw some curlers in it.

While I allowed the curlers to work their magic, I grabbed my dress from the bed, and changed. To my surprise, it fit perfectly. Bruce apparently knew how to go dress shopping.

Once I had changed, I glanced at the clock. It was already five-thirty, so I started to work on my makeup. I lined my eyes with black eyeliner and put on some mascara, making sure that my eyes didn't look too dark. Once finished with my eyes, I applied a light blush to my cheeks and finished off the process with some red lipstick.

By the time I had finished, it was six o'clock and time to take out the curlers. I carefully removed the curlers one by one until my blonde hair was perfectly curled and sported a nice wave that went down to the middle of my back.

My hair was perfect: different _and_ beautiful.

Just when I thought I was ready to go, I remembered that I needed shoes. Fortunately for me, I checked in the closet to find that Bruce had left some black stiletto heels for me. It was nice of him to go to all that trouble, but in my opinion, they looked like death traps.

The thought of Bruce shopping for women's shoes crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but laugh at the mental image as I put them on.

All that was left now was to wait. I waited, and the minutes seemed to tick by at an alarmingly slow rate that I became frustrated with after some time. Every time I looked at the clock, it seemed to move slower and slower.

After some time, I marched through my door, heading up to Bruce's penthouse. I'd had enough of waiting. The elevator ride was short and quiet, and when I made it up, a familiar face I had not seen in years greeted me.

"Good evening, Miss Mathews. How are you?" Alfred inquired.

I smiled. "I'm wonderful, Alfred. And how have you been? Bruce hasn't been too hard on you, has he?"

The butler laughed. "No, not at all. I've been quite well, thank you. And now, Miss Mathews, if you will please follow me," he said, graciously offering me his arm.

With a genuine smile, I took his arm and allowed him to lead me through a set of double doors into a large room. I took in the entirety of the surrounding area, only to glance back towards the door every few minutes.

"Master Bruce will be down at any moment," Alfred reassured me with a grin.

While awaiting Bruce's arrival, I couldn't help but engage myself in a pleasant conversation with the kindly old butler I hadn't seen in years. After a few minutes, Bruce came through the doors, looking as handsome as ever. I had never really paid much attention to my friend's appearance before, but at that moment, it just hit me like a bullet train.

His deep brown hair was smoothed back, and his eyes were… Wow. His brilliant blue eyes were nothing less than gorgeous, and I was sure that I would find myself trapped within them. The face that held those eyes was beautiful as well, and his body was just amazing.

I smirked to myself. As Batman, he must get a damn good workout.

"Hello, Alfred. Hello, Bel--" he paused, and I knew he was looking at me. "Do I know you?" he said jokingly as he made his way toward us. "People will be arriving soon, so I hope you're ready."

With that said, Alfred excused himself, and went to go wait by the elevators for arriving guests, leaving me alone with Bruce.

"You look great, B. I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress before." He examined the way the dress fit my figure, then looked back at me. He smiled, and I couldn't help but feel a little flattered.

"Thanks, Bruce. You don't look so bad yourself." If that wasn't an understatement, then I didn't know what was. The man looked beyond gorgeous. He looked like he could have been a god.

"Well, I try."

I was about to reply when, from behind the doors, I heard the elevator doors open. When Alfred opened the doors, it was as if he were giving me a perfect seat in a movie theater, and I watched in awe as some of Gotham's elite filed out into the large room.

The group that emerged was rather small, for there were two beautiful women, each with a stunning date. Both of the women appeared to be around my age, but the men were much older. They approached Bruce and myself, and I began to feel more than a little uncomfortable.

I'm really not a people person.

Bruce introduced me to the couples, and began some engaging conversation with them about the company and other monetary nonsense, so I excused myself and walked around the room. By this time, the room had started to fill up with "the many members of the high society trust-fund brigade", as Rachel and I had jokingly called them.

As I walked about, many people gave me a polite nod or greeting before continuing their conversations. And I was fine with that. After all, I didn't feel a surging need to engage myself in a formal conversation I wouldn't understand. I wasn't really one of them, and I was in no hurry to be.

About forty-five minutes into the party, as I stood by one of the large windows with my drink, I spotted the cutest little boy nestled beneath the wine table across the room. Even from such a distance, I could clearly see his bright blue eyes peeking out from beneath the mess of soft blond hair.

My initial reaction was to approach him and ask if he was lost, but I was unsure as to whether or not I would look foolish. It certainly seemed that several others had spotted the child, but they all carried about their business, as if he didn't exist.

Unbelievable, I thought bitterly. This child is lost among such a massive crowd, and nobody has the decency to help him?

After a few deep breaths, I found the strength to ignore the critical whisperings of the "trust-fund brigade" as I made my way towards the shuddering child. As I approached, he shrunk beneath the tablecloth, disappearing from sight. I knelt down, despite my discomfort, and gently lifted the tablecloth away from the frightened boy.

"Hello," I said with a smile.

The boy remained silent and began inching closer to me.

"I saw you sitting here, and wondered why you were by yourself," I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. But the boy didn't seem to hear me, for he was staring over my shoulder at the glowering group of people Bruce had introduced me to.

Without a care as to who was watching, I offered the boy my hand. "Would you like me to help you find your parents?"

He nodded silently, crawled out from beneath the table, and, with his hand in mine, followed me around the large room. After a few minutes, I felt his hand leave mine, and saw him rush through the disapproving crowd, crying, "Daddy!!"

After pushing my way through the disgruntled crowd, I was relieved to see that the boy had found his parents again.

The father, a man whose reputation was well-known, even outside of Gotham, approached me and held out his hand. "Jim Gordon," he said, before turning to look at the boy's mother. "And this is my wife, Barbara, and these two," he pulled the boy and a little girl close, "are our children."

I couldn't help but smile, for they seemed to be the perfect family. "Very nice to meet you," I said. "I'm Annabelle Mathews. I hope you'll excuse my behavior. It's been quite some time since I've been in Gotham, and I'm not very used to such gatherings."

"Oh, not at all. This is our first time attending one of Mr. Wayne's extravagant get-togethers, too," his wife said, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Terrible, isn't it?" I joked. "Although Bruce and I are close friends, I just can't shake the feeling that I don't belong in a place like this. Especially among his high-society friends."

Jim Gordon's expression suddenly became somewhat serious. "You know Bruce Wayne?"

"Well, not as well as I used to, but --"

Thankfully, Bruce cut me off with his toast before I could utterly humiliate myself.

"Good Evening, my friends," he said as the room became quiet. "I'd like to thank you all for being here on this fine night. Now, I know many of you don't even know what this party is about, but..." Bruce paused and glanced around, looking for something… or _someone. _When he spotted me among the crowd, he motioned for me to stand with him.

"Now, this beautiful woman is our reason for celebration. For she is one of my oldest, and dearest friends, and I thought, 'What better way to welcome her home to Gotham than a night of pleasantries with Gotham's finest?'"

I immediately knew that all eyes were on me, and I was unable to stop the blush that now covered my face. It may not have been the most unpleasant experience of my life, but it certainly wasn't the best, either.

Bruce looked at me and raised his glass. "To my dear friend, Annabelle Mathews." He took a sip of is drink and everyone else repeated, "To Annabelle Mathews."

As the voices died down, I suddenly realized that there was someone… _clapping_. I glanced to Bruce, but he wasn't smiling. He was glaring straight into the heart of the crowd as people began to gasp and move away.

There, among the elite of Gotham, stood the Joker.

I felt my breath catch in my throat as he moved closer to us, with that infamous grin on his face, and simply muttered, "Hello, _Beautiful."_

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_There you have it. Please drop a review :]_


	4. And so it begins

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. I oen nothing :[**

**Chapter 3: **And So It Begins

**A/N: Heres another revamped chapterr :] Enjoy**

(Beta-read by Incarnate009)

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"Hello, _Beautiful."_

Although the words were frightening and insulting, since they were coming from a mass-murderer, I couldn't do anything but stare at the man in front of me.

The Joker.

What does he want? Why is he here? How the hell did he get in here? Doesn't Bruce have some kind of freakin' security?!

My mind was swimming with questions, and I couldn't bring myself to verbalize any of them.

He cocked his head to the side, keeping those empty eyes focused on me. Finally, after a few minutes, he turned and began pacing among the horrified crowd as several goons with guns and knives ran through the heavy doors.

"If I'd known there was a party, I would've shown up sooner. So... is everyone enjoying themselves? Hm?"

Seeing how the everyone in the room was deathly silent, it looked like these people had working brains, after all. Unfortunately for me, my belief that these stuck-up rich folks were power-hungry idiots was shot straight to Hell.

"Anyone?" He laughed, and I knew that everyone, except Bruce, was probably on the verge of passing out. "You're kidding!! You can't _all _think Brucie's parties are really _that _bad." Dark eyes swept the room once again, and he sighed with feigned disappointment. "Well then... does this mean you're all ready to play... _my game?"_

The unmistakable _click _of a knife shattered the silence as he walked through the crowd, fiddling with the weapon as if it were some kind of toy. Despite the fact that they were face to face with a serial killer, nobody bothered to move. The fact of the matter is that they were terrified. It was there in their eyes, and this lunatic was clearly enjoying the control he had over them.

Setting aside my fear for a moment, I couldn't help but realize that there was something strangely fascinating about this man. And something inside my head made me want to know what it was.

When he had finally made a full-circle around the room, he stopped in front of a goon with a clown mask. The Joker simply made eye-contact with him, and the man made his way to the elevator with his gun ready. A clear sign that he'd shoot any idiot foolish enough to try and escape.

Hell, I thought. Why don't you just kill us now, you mass-murdering, psychotic bastard?

I glanced slowly around the room and saw that every one of the Joker's goons held some kind of machine gun. In fear, I looked behind me to where Bruce had been standing, but he was nowhere to be found. For a moment, I thought that he'd been grabbed during the chaos, but that thought was short-lived.

Batman would be here soon.

Although it was clearly stupid, I made up my mind to look for a way out. But my thought process was stopped when one of the Joker's goons pushed me towards the center of the room. Towards _him._

At the moment, I knew that I had been singled out to be the "hostage." Even when I played games as a child, the idea of being the "damsel in distress" had never appealed to me. And those feelings sure as hell hadn't changed. As the goon touched my shoulder, I easily took hold of his arm, twisted it, and gave him a good elbow in the face.

He tried to pull away, but I held on to his arm, and flipped him over my shoulder towards the Joker.

After that, everything else became a blur.

A second goon came at me, and I gave him a good roundhouse kick in the face, only to lose my balance and fall to the floor with him. Sadly, I wasn't used to fighting in heels, so I hurriedly tore them from my feet, prepared to fight.

It seemed that there had only been four goons that weren't threatening the crowd or guarding doors and windows. I figured that taking out the remaining goons would be easy, seeing how I had dropped two of the muscle-bound idiots without breaking a sweat.

The third grabbed my arms from behind and tried pushing me back to the floor, but his grip wasn't very strong at all. Silently thanking my past self-defense classes, I managed to free my right arm, elbowing him in the stomach before putting him down with a fierce blow to the side of his head.

Having seen me take out his buddies, the last guy circled me cautiously, waiting for an opening. With a silent snicker, I feigned injury, watching as he came at me like a wild boar. At that point I couldn't help but laugh, as he swung. I caught his fist, grabbed his arm and pulled it behind his back before throwing his head into my knee.

As he hit the floor with a groan, I stood there with a smirk and stared at the unconscious idiots on the floor. "Wow," I said with sarcasm. "What a rush! I thought I was done for!!"

The words had barely escaped my lips when I heard a chuckle from behind me. I turned to see the Joker standing about a foot away. He closed the gap quickly and caught my wrists as I tried desperately to fight him off. Once again, I realized that I had made a very grave mistake in assuming that, because of his appearance, I could take him down.

"You're a wild one aren't ya, Beautiful? I _like _that," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Unable to find a smart-ass comeback, I had to settle for glaring at him with every ounce of hatred I had.

After a few short minutes, I ended my futile intimidation tactic, and found my voice. "Okay, first of all: it's unbelievably _rude _to handle a woman, and second: what the hell are you doing here?!"

I still don't know why, but my demands seemed to come across to him as some sickening joke, since he just laughed at me and took a step back with my wrists still in his hand.

"Are you serious? You really don't get it, do you? This is what I do. For me, this--" he turned me around to look at the horrified guests "--is what I call 'fun'." He started laughing again, and it seemed as though it was crazier than before. If that was even possible.

I was horrified, but, at the same time, I wanted to laugh with him. I wanted to smile because it just sounded so damn _funny._

When he finally composed himself, he looked at me and held the knife to my cheek, pressing down ever so slightly. "You're new to Gotham aren't ya, Beautiful? So what is someone like you doing at one of Bruce Wayne's little gatherings? Hm?" He stared at me, waiting for an answer. But, even against my better judgement, I remained silent, afraid that I would lose control if I didn't.

Before I knew what had happened, he was right up in my face, demanding that I give him an answer.

"I-I'm an old friend," I said, hating myself for stammering.

He just grinned and pressed the blade deeper into my cheek, still not drawing blood. "Well, isn't that convenient?" he chuckled, releasing me and walking back towards the center of the room.

I stared at him with my mouth wide open in shock. He just... let me go?

The Joker stared at the unconscious goons henchmen, and I could almost see the gears working in his head. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled a revolver from his pocket and shot one right in the head. Bruce's guests backed away and screamed. They clearly weren't used to watching people die.

But unlike everyone else, I just stood there staring, not at the dead man, but lunatic with the gun.

Three more bullets were discharged, only to be followed by more screaming. I heard the _click _as another bullet was pushed into the round, and I couldn't understand why he'd need a fourth bullet. It was then that the fifth goon ran in, clearly unaware that the Joker was killing his men left and right.

"Hey, Boss! We've got a pro--" the man didn't even finish speaking before the Joker shot him down... and, for some reason, looked up. He looked around the room until his eyes fell on me again.

"Well, I have to say I'm shocked. I really expected the Batman to show up, but--" he paused, loading the round again and pointing the gun at me "--it looks like he just doesn't _care!"_

There was the sound of gunfire as Batman swung through the window, kicking the Joker and knocking me to the ground before the bullet made contact.

The Joker scrambled to his feet and laughed. "Now _there's _a Batman."

Within seconds, the two were practically at each other's throats battling it out, and I couldn't even tell who, if anyone, was winning. I was sure that Bruce was kicking some serious ass until the Joker side-stepped him and shot the glass from one of the windows. I could hear sirens coming from outside, and I was sure he would be caught by the police, if not by Batman.

Bruce was on the ground struggling to get up when the Joker spoke. "Aww, don't worry about it too much, Batsy. My little game is _far_ from over." Pointing the gun at Bruce, he turned back to me. "And as for you, princess... Don't get too stressed out if you don't see me for a while... After all, we'll be seeing a lot more of each other much sooner than you think."

With that said, he leapt out the window just as the elevator opened for the cops to charge into the room with five dead men on the floor. I looked to see if Bruce was okay, but he had already gone.

As the police questioned several people, I decided to inspect the pockets of the dead men. Of all of them, only one had a wallet. I looked inside and found just what I was looking for: his license, on which the name "Roger Grant" was printed. I glanced at the birthdate as well: twenty-eight.

Twenty-eight and dead as a door nail.

For some reason, I felt that I should have been crying, but there were no tears. Oddly enough, it wasn't sad at all as far as I was concerned. It was just the natural order of things. People live for a time, people die.

As I sat there, I could hear the sobs of people who had been genuinely afraid. The only thing I could do was stare blankly at the bodies of the men who had lost their lives. It wasn't because I was sad, or because I felt that they had deserved to die, but because it was the only thing that kept me from thinking about what I knew would be coming to "liberate" me from this life.

And what I, to an extent, wanted to liberate me: The Joker.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed it. Please drop a review :] I love 'em_


	5. A night to Remember

I got reviews :] and i even got a flame which kind of made me laugh. i know im not an amazing writer, hell im in high school but anyway im so psyched lol well heres chapter 4.

Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own Nothing but Annabelle Mathews and the plot

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I don't know how long I stood there, just staring.

People slowly started to make there way out the door, still crying. They wanted to get out of there afraid of another confrontation with the Joker. But I knew he wouldn't come back. Not tonight at least.

All I could do was stare at the bodies laying lifeless on the floor. Soon, they seemed to have disappeared and I heard a faint noise around me. It was the sound of people and I looked up. There were many cops and a coroner. The bodies were in those black bags being carried out the door.

I didn't want to talk to anybody. I didn't want anybody to see how well I was holding up. Any other normal person would be breaking down right now. Not me.

So I walked out the glass doors onto the large balcony to try and clear my head.

You could see the entire city from up there. All the building lit up beautifully. You could even see the smaller buildings scattered on the outskirts of town.

The night was clear and unseasonably warm. Especially for a winter night. Despite the cold I still stood out there up against the railing trying to think.

I wanted to come to Gotham to get my head straight. To change. I didn't want to be the old me. The partying drunk me who spent her days sleeping and her nights partying until she passed out. Then the cycle would just continue. Sleep. Party. Pass out. Party again.

I mean, there was a part of me I didn't want to change and that was the badass I was. It definitely came in handy tonight. But I didn't want that to be my whole life, which is why I was here.

I was here to try and fit in with society. To be acceptable, and Bruce was helping me do it. But I couldn't shake this nagging feeling that, that wasn't going to happen.

And to make matters worse, the Joker had it out for me.

I knew that was bad, he was a mass murdering psychopath that certainly wouldn't have a problem with killing whoever he wanted to. I knew that when he wanted something he got it, unfortunately, that meant me too. I would do everything in my power to stop that, but some small part of me was intrigued by the Joker. Some small part of me wondered what it would be like to be with the Joker.

I sharp breeze blew and that sent shivers down my spine.

That was when Bruce came from behind me, putting his jacket over my shoulders.

" Hey, what are you doing out here, its freezing." he said rubbing his arms for warmth. I smiled and shrugged out of his jacket and handing it back to him. I grabbed his hand and started leading him back inside.

" Just trying to clear my head. I guess I wanted to get that smell out of my head."

He looked down at me and smiled.

Once we had made it into the living room he sat us down on the couch. He ran his hand threw his hair and opened his mouth but he closed it quickly. He tried again and this time he managed to speak.

" I think it would be best if you stayed here these next few nights. Just until this whole ordeal with the Joker is out of the way."

When he said this he looked so upset, so distressed. I knew he was really worried about me and I felt so touched.

He really did care. But I didn't want to be a pest. Besides I was perfectly capable of fending for myself, which I guess on some level, was my problem. I didn't like letting my guard down, letting people in.

" No, Bruce. Don't worry I will be perfectly fine. Honest." I laughed lightly. " besides im sure he would expect for you to try and help seeing as he knows you're a close friend."

We sat in silence for a few seconds, he was thinking this over. I knew that if he didn't agree with me I would probably end up staying here. He would probably do some batman trick or something. Ha-Ha. That would be funny.

" Ok, I guess your right. But im getting more security on your room. Call me in the morning, okay?" Towards the end of his sentence, his voice sounded strained. It sounded hurt.

I instantly felt horrible for making him feel this way but I knew deep down he understood. He knew asking for help was a problem for me.

" Okay, Bruce. I promise, but don't worry. I will be fine." I smiled and pecked him on the cheek.

I got up and made my way to the door when I heard Bruce whisper.

" Please be safe." I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hear him or not but I decided to act like I hadn't.

I made it to the elevator, and thought to myself. _Baby steps._

It would take baby steps for me to change. For me to be able to let people in. I just hoped I wouldn't lose Bruce in the process.

The elevator dinged and I stepped out onto my floor.

The air was warm and it felt good. I hadn't realized until now just how cold it was in Bruce's penthouse. Then again at any normal party you would get hot from everyone's body heat. Bruce was thinking ahead and that made me chuckle slightly.

As the door came into my vision, I noticed that there was something on it. I quickened my step and when I reached the door a grabbed the note.

It was what looked like a whit sticky note. On it were the words: Don't wait up for me.

I couldn't move. I read those five words over an over again. Hoping that if I read them enough they would disappear but they didn't.

I reached for my key and made my way into my room. As soon as the door shut I made sure I locked every lock available. The words penetrated my mind as I made my way all around making sure every window was shut and bolted.

When I had finished, I walked into my room. Luckily there was a lock on that door as well and I locked it.

I didn't even bother taking a shower so I just threw on some sweatpants and a tank top and climbed into bed. Then, I remembered what I had brought with me.

In my bag, stashed in a hidden pocket was a small knife.

I scurried back into my bed after I had retrieved it and wrapped myself with the covers only letting the top of my head show. I had the note in one hand and my knife in the other.

If the Joker decided to make an appearance, I would be ready.

I soon realized there would be no way for me to sleep so I grabbed the remote and turned on the plasma screen. It was midnight so not much was on. I didn't want to listen to infomercials, so I just put on MTV.

After about two hours of watching music videos, I started to feel my eyelids droop. That wasn't good.

Also at this time I started hearing noises.

I had to hold in a scream when I heard my phone go off. It seemed to frighten me, making me think my hiding place would be found out. Not that I was hiding necessarily.

"Hello," I said breathlessly.

" Oh good your up. Did I wake you?" It was Bruce and I sighed in relief.

" No I was up, cant really sleep." I decided not to worry him with the note, afraid that he might end up getting himself hurt. I couldn't have that.

" Ok, I just wanted you to know that im heading out. As Batman, so if you need anything Alfred will be up here."

I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach as he said this and I couldn't help but get a little panicky. I tried to keep it together when I answered.

" Well I will keep that in mind. Good Luck Bruce. Be safe."

" Good night B." With that he hung up.

I felt alone all of a sudden, I felt weak, I felt scared.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I threw the blankets over my head and buried myself in my pillow.

I tried to sleep, but sleep didn't come easy. Soon, I started getting this feeling that I was being watched but I couldn't get myself to open my eyes.

That feeling was gone as quick a it came and I started to drift into unconsciousness. The knife slowly slipped from my grip onto the pillow beside me. I didn't bother picking it back up.

The last thing I remember before I fell into the deep world of unconsciousness was a soft laughter that followed me into my dreams.

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I think that im really starting to like this story lol its definitely about to get more interesting so be ready lol.

You know what I love?

Reviews :]

But if your going to totally bash my story just save it. I like constuctive critisism not total trash talk.


	6. Darling dear, get a grip

Well here is the next chapterrr. I was happy with last chapter I hope I do good on this one.

Tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: Don't Own Batman or Joker or Land Before Time for that matter :]

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My head was swirling with different colors and shapes. And I knew it was a dream.

I could hear laughing in the distance and it grew. It got louder and louder until that's all I could hear and it blocked out all the colors and shapes. Now I was in darkness.

The laughing abruptly stopped and I was in a dark room. It was silent, so silent that it almost felt like I was deaf.

Then I blinked and a chair appeared in the middle of the room with, what looked like a spotlight shining down on it.

I felt the need to examine the chair further so I walked up to it.

It was an average looking wooden chair but there was something scribbled on the seat. The closer I got to the seat the more distinct it became. It started out as a blotch of color but it quickly transformed into something far different.

The chair was now completely white. And there was a face drawn on it. The eyes were big and black and the mouth was blood red and seemed to stretch on forever.

It was the face of the Joker.

At that moment the mouth opened and the cackling laughter filled my head. It was ear-piercing and I felt myself stumble backwards. And I landed in a puddle. When I looked down I say that it was a deep red almost black color. Then I smelled the salty metal, and let out a blood curdling scream.

I woke up with a gasp, and sat up. I was still trying to catch my breath so I sat against my bed frame and leaned my head on the wall. I closed my eyes as I tried to slow down my breathing.

Once I was sure my breathing was even I opened my eyes and looked toward the clock. It read 4:27. I hadn't been sleeping for more than two hours._ Wonderful._

I still felt on edge because of my dream so I decided to get up and just walk around the room I mean, it was definitely big enough. I walked around for a few minutes before I felt I was ready to stop. I finished my pacing but I still knew there was no way I was going to sleep.

That was when I heard it.

It was a faint shuffling of feet, but I definitely knew I heard it. And the worse part about it was, it was coming from inside the room.

I ran to the light switch and flicked it on. The room instantly flooded with light and it looked just like it had before I had fallen asleep. A small amount of relief washed thru me. Next I went into the bathroom.

I turned on the light and looked around the large bathroom. Nothing looked out of place so I walked back out into the bedroom, leaving the light on just in case.

The next thing I decided to do was check outside the bedroom which deeply concerned me. I didn't want to leave the confines of my room until daybreak so I could feel somewhat safer with the sun shining around me.

I made my way to the door but before I reached it the closet door in the far corner of the room swung open. _Shit, the closet._

The door was open but no one came out. It was pitch black in the closet and I couldn't see inside of it. I peered over the bed to see if something had fallen out of it and lucky for me the ironing board was lying flat on the ground. I couldn't help but laugh myself as I slid to the floor.

I was clutching my chest with my left hand and my right hand I was covering my mouth to try and muffle my panicked laughter.

After about a minute of me trying to recover I got up and walked over to the door of the room.

I hand my hand on the knob when I was yanked backwards, falling to the ground.

When I looked up I saw the Joker standing in front of me and I started to scream. He quickly knelt down and put a hand over my mouth and said, " Shh shhh, wouldn't want to wake anyone now would we? Hm?" I didn't answer and he took that as a yes.

" Good, now im going to move my hand and your not going to scream right? Cause if you do-" he pulled out his knife and it gleamed in the light from the lamp, " something not so great is gonna happen between you and this little knife right here."

I just nodded and he removed his hand. He straightened out and slowly walked around the room.

" This room looks so much more uh, homey in the light don't you think? Well I do. Too bad we're not gonna be seeing this place any time soon." he said as a smile spread across his face.

I was too afraid to say anything when I remembered what I had earlier that night. The knife.

I tried standing up and he put out his hand for me to take. Stupidly I did just that. He dragged me to my feet and threw me against the wall, pinning me there. He just laughed as I tried to get away.

" Girly, what do you think your doing? Your not going anywhere unless I approve and uh, you trying to get to your little knife on the bed. Not. Gonna. Happen."

How did he know I had the knife let alone that I was going to get it? Maybe I was just easy to read. I really hoped not otherwise he would know exactly what was coming from him.

I stopped squirming for a moment which resulted in him loosening up a bit. That wasn't such a smart thing for him to do because I kneed him in the stomach then punched him in the jaw. He stumbled backwards and was laughing hysterically. I didn't pay any attention to him and ran to the bed for my knife. Only, it wasn't there.

I searched under the covers and under all the pillows but it was nowhere to be found. The Joker was still laughing uncontrollably and I looked up to him and yelled. " Where the hell is it?" this only made him laugh louder.

His laughing was really getting on my nerved and I got up to grab him but he was one step ahead of me. He came at me, grabbed my hair and threw me to the ground. Before I could regain control he grabbed my arm and pulled me back up so I was standing.

By now is laughing had ceased but he still had a shitty grin on his face.

I wanted to wipe that smile right off his face but something stopped me. He had thrown me again the wall again only this time he was holding me so tight there was no way I could get away so I just stopped trying and waited for him to say something.

His hand disappeared in is pocket and when he pulled it back out he had my knife in his hand.

" Were you talking about this before, Darling?" he said as he motioned to the knife in his hand."

" Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about" the venom in my voice was easily heard and he was laughing before I even finished my sentence.

His body was pressed up against mine so hard that It hurt to breath but I didn't let him have the satisfaction of knowing that. Instead I acted like it was the most comfortable thing in the world. Bad decision.

The Joker stabbed the knife into the wall right by my head and leaned in closer to me. I didn't realize before but he was a good half a foot taller than me.

" So uh, Annabelle, can I call you that? Anyway it looks like you're a little different than you let on. You have a fire in you, and if I may say-" he leaned in so close that his lips brushed against my ear, " its _quite _a turn on." he giggled when he finished his sentence and moved back to his previous position.

I shuddered and I knew he felt it. He smiled and pulled something else out from his pocket.

It was a needle.

My eyes widened and I opened my mouth to say something but he put his fingers to my mouth and I instantly closed it.

" You Look nervous. Is it the scars? Or is it this needle." as he said this he waved the needle in my face nearly pricking me with it.

" Im not a fan of needles." I said honestly and was surprised at how calm I felt.

" Well don't worry it wont hurt, Too much." he laughed and before I knew it he had jabbed it into my arms and pushed the contents into my veins.

It wasn't long until I grew weak and eventually lost all feeling.

The joker picked me up, bride style. And walked gracefully out of the hotel room, which was more of an apartment. It just hit me that I hadn't lost unconsciousness yet. But it was definitely coming.

I fought it as long as I could. I was awake for the elevator ride, and for the stealthy trip to the van, but as soon as I was thrown into the back I couldn't fight it anymore. I let myself slip into blissful nothingness with the Joker at my side.

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Ok so this chapter was extremely difficult to write. I knew exactly what I wanted to happen and I saw it in my head but I just couldn't get it into words. I hope I got it close though.

Anyway one of the next chapters is going to be about her past so I just thought I would warn you. It might even be next chapter so yeah.

REVIEW please. :]


	7. Snow White

Chapter number 6 :] I really didn't like my last chapter so I hope this one is better. Also this chapter is being written as I watch Gossip Girl. I hope that doesn't affect this in a bad way.

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or the Joker ( or Gossip Girl) I only own Annabelle

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I heard the voices before I opened my eyes. They were loud and hardly muffled even with the door in the way.

" Whys is she even here." I heard one man say. His voice was rough and sent chills through me.

" It Doesn't matter. The boss wanted her here that's why." the second man spoke as if he was second in command. I didn't like them talking about me like that so I tried getting up.

As soon as I made it into a standing position, my legs gave out and I fell to the floor. It was like my legs weighed a ton. They refused to move.

I took hold of the bed, grabbing handfuls of the light purple comforter, and used my arms to pull myself back up onto it. Now I was sitting on the bed and felt a rush of dizziness hit me. I had to lie down so I slowly laid my head onto the bed.

I must have just laid like that for a while because before I knew it, the small amount of light that was coming out of the window was long gone.

That made me a little worried. The Joker had taken me before the sun had even risen,

and here it was setting again. This was not good.

I tried to get up again and this time my legs seemed to cooperate. I wasn't even hit with a dizzy spell. It must have been whatever the hell he had injected me with before that caused my legs to give out.

There was very little light in the room now that the sun had set so I stumbled over to the door and turned the knob. Nothing happened. I tried again and still nothing. I grew tired of trying to open the door and settled for finding a light switch.

Walking along the walls and running my hands along them I fumbled upon the light switch which I eagerly switched on. When the room was lit up it actually didn't look that bad.

The large mattress was resting on an antique looking bed frame, but on closer inspection it looked to have been old and overused. The sheets were a light green with a heavy purple comforter lying on top if it. And the pillows were mismatched with the two colors.

There was a dark mahogany dresser near the end of the room with a large mirror hanging in front of it. I walked over to the dresser and found bottles of face paint lying open. Most of them were empty.

Inside the dresser was much more interesting.

There was a different piece of clothing in each drawer. One drawer would be filled with the exact same shirts while another would be filled with matching vests and so on and so forth. I giggled lightly.

" What a funny mad man," I said to myself softly.

I finished my search of the room and noted the fact that there were two doors. I walked up to the second door and just rested my hands against the frame. I couldn't hear anything on the other side so I figured it was safe to open.

The door opened up to a tiny bathroom, only it wasn't what I expected it to be. In my head I had imagined the Jokers bathroom to be dirty and old but this was far from it.

The floors were clean and were all tile. The tiling even went halfway up the wall where it changed to a rustic looking wallpaper. The shower was big and roomy with glass walls and the sink was as white as could be. Then it hit me.

This wasn't a bathroom you would have in any old factory or warehouse. It was one you found in someone's home. Which meant this is currently someone's home. Or worse, it was.

I backed out of the bathroom as fast as I could trying to hold myself together. I felt that everything was finally hitting me. The party. The dead men. The note. The Joker. All of it just came crashing down on me.

It wasn't possible to stay so composed with everything that was going on in my life. I knew I would break down, it was just a matter of when, but I just wished it wouldn't be here. When I was being held captive by one of the city's, if not country's, most feared mass murdering criminals.

I let it all out right then, everything i was keeping bottled up inside, at least now I was still alone.

The crying didn't last very long, and for that, I as thankful. Crying showed weakness and I didn't like being weak. Bad things could happen. But after my brief period of tears I was left with an empty feeling inside. A feeling I couldn't shake. I stared blankly at the ceiling above me finding odd shapes and colors taking form there. I didn't want to think about anything, especially this but even I knew that was inevitable.

The Joker must have been a mind reader, because at that moment he decided to make his grand entrance.

" Well if it isn't little Snow White, up from her slumber," he said with a grin, licking his blood-red lips.

I gave him an icy glare and turned my head back up to the ceiling to continue my staring. But he just continued as if the stare I gave him was encouragement to go on.

" That's it! That is what I will call you, my little Snow White." He made his way over to me until he was right in front of me. To get my attention, he leaned forward so I was staring up at him instead of the ceiling. Anger filled my veins, and I was about to scream when I was pulled up from the floor and tossed onto the bed.

" I like that don't you Miss Mathews. Hm?" When I didn't reply he just laughed but flew at me pinning me against the headboard.

" When I ask you a question I **expect **you to answer!" he growled, holding my chin up only inches from his livid face, " Now answer me."

His face was fierce and I knew it would be bad not to answer him, but I made sure it was exactly what he didn't want to hear.

" Actually," I started slowly, " I love it, it makes me feel like, I don't know, a princess!" By the end of my sentence I made sure I filled my voice with mock enthusiasm, with a well put together expression to match it.

The Joker's brows furrowed for a slight second before he burst into hysterical laughter, falling onto his back.

His laughter was contagious, so I found myself laughing along with him.

A few minutes went by and our laughter dyed down. I had stopped completely and was eyeing the Joker, awaiting his next mood swing.

" You," he said pointing his knife at me, but still laughing, " are definitely going to be fun. And I like fun."

I looked away from him suddenly self coconscious, and I felt a slight rush of blood filling my cheeks.

" Don't look away, my little Snow White," he said as he inched closer to me, the Glasgow smile plastered onto his face, " then I cant see your eyes. You can tell a lot about peoples eyes you know. They tell you. Everything." as he said this I felt a small trickle of fear shoot through me and I knew he saw it. He chuckled and in one swift movement he was off the bed headed for the door.

He was leaving, which was the one thing I wanted but it was also the only thing I didn't want.

" Wait, where are you going. You just got here." I said and instantly regretted it. The Joker stopped dead in his tracks and spun on his heals so that he was facing me. He was chewing at his scars then opened his mouth.

" You just gave me a great idea!" his voice was filled with excitement and I had no idea why.

Before I could ask he ran out the door leaving me stunned and alone. Again.

Any other person would be terrified of what the Joker was planning but I was more worried about what would happen in the time we would be apart. Which frightened me more than anything.

I still thought he was a mass murdering psychopath but there was this charm about him that just drew me in closer. I didn't know if I wanted to kick has ass when I was with him or kiss him. Or possibly both but I quickly shook that thought from my mind along with the mental image that made me want to smile.

All I knew was there was a surprise in store for me and I wasn't sure how I would like it.

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Yup there's chapter 6, which was done partly during gossip girl. Does it suck? Rock? All of the above? Anyway the only way I can know for sure is if you Review so do it.

Right now!

The more reviews i get the faster i update :]


	8. Come Josephine

**Here's chapter 7 :] i hope you like it, i do. This chapter went a little different then planned but it still works. I couldnt cut it down so you dont really get to see the BIG suprise but dont fret! It will be there next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I dont own The Joker or Batman, thats all DC comics, I do own Annabelle tho.**

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Surprisingly, being locked in this room wasn't as awful as you would think.

The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean, the room itself was oddly spacious, and well, it could have been worse. If I wasn't being held against my will I might have actually enjoyed it.

Waiting around for the Joker to saunter himself back into the room started to take its toll on me. My patience was wearing thin. After about a half hour of sitting on the bed waiting for that door to open I rolled my eyes in frustration and jumped off the bed, landing on my feet easily.

I paced across the room a few times, before finally making my way into the bathroom.

There was a mirror over the sink and I looked into it, seeing how awful I really looked. My eyeliner had smudged and left my eyes dark and black, almost covering up the giant bags under them. My hair, if I could call it that, looked like a bush on top of my head, sticking out in different directions. And my clothes were wrinkled and practically falling off of me.

The way I looked suddenly made me feel embarrassed so I turned on the shower. I let the glass walls of the shower steam over before I started to undress, which is when I realized I had no towel.

At this point I was in nothing but my bra and underwear, and I didn't feel like putting back on my clothes so I just started searching high and low for a towel. There was a closet in the bathroom so I made my way over to it, only to be disappointed when I opened it seeing no towels. But there were many washcloths.

Seeing that there were no towels in the bathroom, I walked out into the room almost forgetting where I was. I took three feet out of the bathroom and stopped dead in my tracks. Looking up, I saw that the room was empty and let myself loosen up.

First, I went over to the dresser, hoping there were towels in there that I hadn't seen before, but I wasn't that lucky. The next place I looked was under the bed. Maybe there were a few stashed under the rickety bed frame. Again, no. Instead it was nearly spotless. Not a spec of dust I could see.

Annoyed, I got up and stormed back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

I definitely wasn't going to get naked in the shower if I didn't have a towel to use afterwards so the only thing I could do was shower in my clothes, or rather my undergarments.

Before I jumped into the shower though, I grabbed a few washcloths to dry my hair.

The water hit me and I relaxed almost instantly. I loved the way a hot shower felt. The way it seemed to spread the heat all over and relax every muscle in your body. Especially this shower. It was huge and seemed to be ten times better.

I washed my hair and the rest of my body. After I felt I had prolonged my shower long enough I turned off the water and opened the door. I was hit with a gust of cold air and shivered involuntarily.

The floor was cold against my feet as I made my way to where my clothes were. Seeing them lying there made me think. I had worn those for a while now, and they were dirty. Not wanting to put on dirty clothes I grabbed the washcloths and patted myself dry before walking out into the bedroom.

It was warmer out here and I was grateful for that.

The dresser wasn't far from the bathroom so I quickly made my way over to it. Opening the top drawer, I pulled out one of the button of shirts before I opened the one below it. From that drawer I pulled out a pair of pants.

I put the shirt on first, and it barely stayed on me. After buttoning it up halfway I started to pull on the pants. Those were even bigger. Wearing them, I felt like I was wearing a circus tent around my legs. Luckily, he had belts and I threw one on to keep my pants up.

They were still at least half a foot longer than my legs.

Satisfied with my work I grabbed the two washcloths and wrapped my hair in them. Taking the rubber band from my wrist. I wrapped it around the two washcloths keeping them in place while it dried my hair.

Finally finished, I walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

There was a sudden, loud grumbling noise and I looked down to the source of the noise. It was my stomach.

I chuckled to myself before I made my way over to the door. When I reached the door a knocked a few times and hoped for a response. I wasn't sure how long it had been since I had eaten but I knew I needed food. Now.

When I didn't get a response I knocked again. This time a little bit harder.

Still nothing. Not even a shuffling of feet. Total silence.

Being held hostage was really starting to get on my nerves. It was one thing to take me against my will, inject me with some drug, and totally abandon me. But it was another thing all together to ignore me and hoard all the food!

I was tired of this, and decided to scream in frustration. This got me a response.

The door swung open and tall muscular man with an unshaven face ran in. Once he saw me he grabbed me by the arm and threw me into the wall.

" What the hell do you want?!" He screamed at me, only inches from my face.

I didn't respond and he continued.

" I said what the hell do you want? Its three o'clock in the morning, alright girly. So shut the fuck up, and stay out of the way." His hot breath blew across my face and I almost gagged.

He tightened his grip on my arms as he waited for my response. A response he wasn't getting.

Frustrated, he took me and threw me onto the ground. My head hit the ground with a crack. And I struggled to open my eyes. My eyes opened in time to see the man move toward me and I readied myself for what was going to happen. I was too dazed and in too much pain from my head to fight.

Just as the Jokers man made it to my side, someone had thrown a knife at him, landing in the mans neck. I screamed in shock as the man fell to the ground, his blood flooding out from the wound.

The Joker walked into the room slowly and took the knife out of the mans throat before wiping it off on the dead man's shirt. Once the knife was clean the Joker stashed it in his pocket.

He smacked his lips together as he grabbed the mans collar and dragged the dead body out of the room. A few minutes later he returned with a bottle of cleaning solution and a cloth. Walking over to the stain, he got down and started cleaning it up, humming as he did so.

The tune sounded familiar and I racked my brain for the song.

As he finished wiping up the stain I suddenly remembered the tune and blurted it out without thinking.

" That's Come Josephine,"

He looked at me puzzled for a second before his face grew into his signature grin.

" Right you are my little snow white. Right You. Are." his tongue darted to his lips and back into his mouth as he got up and made his way to where I had crawled.

The Joker looked down at me, something strange in his dark eyes, and plopped down right next to me. His knife was in his hands again and he was twisting it around in his fingers. Every once in a while the light would catch it and the knife would seem to shine.

Suddenly, he turned his head to look at me and put the knife to my neck.

" So, uh, Doll face. I see you have taken a liking to my attire."

I looked down suddenly realizing I was wearing his clothes. He didn't seem mad, he was just stating a simple fact. But the knife to my throat seemed to tell me other wise.

" I needed something to wear. I didn't think you would mind." My voice sounded small and weak in comparison to his.

The Joker looked me up and down and chuckled lightly to himself.

" Don't worry, darling. I don't mind. Actually," He said as pulled me by my shoulders into a standing position, " I like what you have , uh , done with it. It screams Watch out I can kick your ass, but I can make you like it." He finished his sentence staring at my chest.

I looked down and blushed deep red while pulled the shirt closed. Stepping away from him, I buttoned up the rest of the buttons and tried walking around him. This didn't work.

He grabbed my waist and pulled me against him. My back was to him and I could feel his breath on my bare neck. Making me shudder. He leaned in closer to my ear and whispered.

" Are you ready for your surprise, beautiful?"

I swallowed loudly and shook my head. This cause him to laugh and push me roughly towards the door.

" Well, my little snow white, You don't have a choice."

He growled pushing me harder, making me fall. He didn't give me time to get up, and pulled me by my hair until we reached the door.

Opening it, he pulled me to my feet and softly look my arm, in a very gentlemanly fashion, leading me down the hall towards a room at the end of the hallway.

Halfway there I could already smell it. The smell of blood.

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	9. Miserable at Best

A/N Ok sorry i havent updated in a while so here is an eextra long chapter. Also i would like to add that i give LOADS of credit to my bestie Tara for helping me write thiss.

Diclaimer: Only Own Annabelle and the plot

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The smell grew stronger as we neared the door.

Its metallic scent made me want to gag, and my face contorted in disgust. The Joker, seeing my changed expression, smiled wide and tightened his grip on my arm. It wasn't too tight, but tight enough for me to know I couldn't get away simply.

Three feet away from the door I froze. The smell was overwhelming and it was making my head spin, I found myself leaning on the Joker for support. Laughing, he pushed me off of him and against the wall. My head hit the wall hard, and I could feel a small stream of blood leaking from the point of contact.

He stood there staring at me for what seemed like eternity before smacking his lips together and opening the door. As it opened it creaked eerily and I couldn't suppress a tear that had escaped my eye. Seeing this, the Joker walked towards me, his makeup caked on so no skin was showing, and put a finger to the tear. He then lifted his finger to his blood red lips and tasted it.

I couldn't stand watching this, and my anger got the best of me.

My fist shot at him so fast that even I was surprised. He stumbled back and grabbed at his jaw. This obviously amused him because he began shaking with laughter. The sound was ear-splitting.

I watched this and felt another fit of anger surge through me.

The Joker was slightly bent over, laughing, so I swung my knee into his face sending him back against the wall. This time he wasn't laughing.

He grabbed my arm, mid swing, and pushed me off of him, into the wall. His hand on my wrist was like a death grip, and I felt my hand scream in protest. The other hand he used to grab my neck, squeezing it just enough to make it hard for me to breath.

All of his weight was pressed up against me and I was trapped. I thought for sure this was it. He was going to kill me. But instead he surprised me.

" Now, Now, doll face. You wouldn't want to , uh, wear yourself out just yet. Save all this fire for later." His hot breath smelt like death and I squeezed my eyes shut.

" Good. Now listen. I'm gonna need you to, well, do something for me okay? Its just something, something little. But if you don't," His hand on my neck seemed to fully enclose my throat and I could barely breath.

" Well, lets just say Snow White wont wake up from this slumber with a kiss."

With that he dropped both hands and pushed me into the dark room.

I couldn't see a thing and when I had managed to lift my head I saw the Joker start to shut the door. The last remnants of light vanished as the door shut tightly.

Panicking, I got up and ran towards the door. When I had found the knob, I twisted it but, of course, it was locked. Now I was pissed and I started punching and kicking the door with all my might. After a good two minutes of relentless bashing of the door, I dropped into a sitting position and leaned my head against it. That's when the lights came on.

They were bright and lit up the room completely. I gasped as I took in the large room I was currently sitting in. The room was large and bare except for a mirror, and rack, and one single dress.

I timidly got up and stumbled over to the Dress. It was beautiful, and looked like it belonged in a fairy tale, which definitely meant it was not for me. The dress was fit for a princess.

The dress was an elegant shade of peach. With a tight strapless bodice. At the waist it began to flare out ever so slightly until it hit the floor. The train of the dress had a slight sparkle that matched the glittery lining at the top of the dress. Hanging on the hanger also, was a matching tiara.

Amazed, I suddenly forgot everything and grabbed it off the rack which is when I was brought back down to reality.

Stuck to the dress was a small note, with all to familiar handwriting scrawled onto it.

Put it on. I'm waiting.

- J

The note was written in blood red ink and I suddenly remembered the horrendous odor from earlier. I put the dress back onto the rack and stepped away. Walking around the room I noticed that there was no blood anywhere. That was until I saw the door almost hidden by a large plant. _Odd. _

As I neared the door the feeling in the pit of my stomach returned and I tried to hold back my instincts telling me to hurt. To kill. When I was a foot away from the door, a loud chuckling voice spoke as if from an intercom.

" Annabelle darling, Curiosity killed the, uh, cat." his voice got lower and more menacing as he continued.

" You wouldn't want to ruin your surprise now would you?" I heard his lips smack together before he continued, " No you wouldn't, so make your way away from the door and back to that little dress of yours."

Afraid of what would happen if I didn't, I made my way back over to the gown on the rack, realizing then that I was shaking.

" Thank you Darling, now please be a good little princess and put the dress on. We don't have all day," with that he laughed manically and the intercom went off.

Now I had one of two options.

I could change into this dress, and maybe survive, or I could not change into this dress and not survive. The first option was looking pretty good but at the same time, that would mean that I would be changing with the Joker watching. It wasn't that I was shy or self conscious about my body, but I had a few interesting marks on my body that would be hard to explain.

I sighed and decided to just get it over with. The sooner I went along with his ideas the sooner I could escape. Hopefully.

Quickly, threw off the Jokers shirt that I was wearing and unbuckled the belt, letting the pants slip to the floor. Now I was in nothing but my undergarments.

Not wasting any time, I slipped the dress off the hanger and unzipped it before placing myself inside of it. I zipped up the back of the dress and looked towards the mirror. It was a perfect fit.

I stared at myself for a few moments, surprised at how different I looked. And I liked it. To make the look complete I placed the tiara on top of my head and fiddled with it until it was sitting exactly right where I wanted it.

Happy with my work, I spun in a circle and started laughing. I felt like such a princess.

That was when the Door to the room slammed open and the Joker walked silently in followed by one of his clown men. His green hair hung like little ringlets around his face, and the face paint where I had punched him in the jaw was more faded then the rest of his face.

" Hello princess. Your chariot awaits." As he said this he moved his hands in the air wildly as if he was a host motioning towards the big act.

I swallowed audibly and took an unsteady step towards them. The Joker saw my advancement and put out his hand more me to take. Puzzled, I took it and he lead me towards the back of the room.

We made it to the door and his goon had opened t up for us. The Joker gave him a stiff nod and I gave him the smallest of smiles. He did not return the favor.

Once inside the room the man closed the door and the Joker and I were left alone.

This fact made my skin crawl, and not in a bad way.

The Joker continued to lead me to what I assumed was the middle of the room. I wasn't sure though because we were engulfed in darkness. What I did know though, was that the room was cold, it had some sort of wooden floor, and it reeked of blood.

My hand flew to my mouth instantly, and I was holding back the puke threatening to come up. I looked around frantically, trying to find the source of this stench but I couldn't see a thing. I let go of the Joker and took a few steps away but was pulled back by a set of strong hands around my waist. Spinning around, I came face to face with his painted face.

I could see his face but only slightly. The face paint made it easier. He smiled his Glasgow grin and then there was a spotlight on us.

Shocked, I looked up but was blinded by the light.

The Joker took my hands and placed one on his shoulder while holding the other firmly in his grip. When he was sure I wouldn't remover my hand from his shoulder he placed his free hand on my waist.

He leaned down close to my ear and whispered huskily, " You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?"

The music started up and then we were spinning.

_Katie, don't cry, I knowYou're trying your hardestAnd the hardest part is letting goOf the nights we shared Ocala is calling and you know it's hauntingBut compared to your eyes, nothing shines quite as brightAnd when we look to the sky, its not mine, but i want it so_

The spotlight followed us everywhere we danced to and I was surprised by how great of a dancer he was. I was the one to stumble every now and then but he would just chuckle and keep leading.

_Let's not pretend like you're alone tonight(I know he's there and)You're probably hanging out and making eyes(while across the room, he stares)I bet he gets the nerve to walk the floorAnd ask my girl to dance, and she'll say yesBecause these words were never easier for me to say Or her to second guessBut I guessThat I can live without you butWithout you I'll be miserable at best_

I hadn't realized it until just now, but the Joker had changed. Well, he was still in his signature purple suit, but this one was free of stains and such. A blush crept up my cheeks at the thought of him getting all dressed up for me.

_You're all that I hoped I'd findIn every single wayAnd everything I could giveIs everything you couldn't takeCause nothing feels like home, you're a thousand miles awayAnd the hardest part of livingIs just taking breaths to stayBecause I know I'm good for somethingI just haven't found it yetBut I need itBecause these words were never easier for me to say Or her to second guessBut I guessThat I can live without you butWithout you I'll be miserable at best_

This was not at all how I expected my reunion with Gotham to be like. To be dancing with the Clown Prince of Crime himself. And the scary part of this was, I liked it. When I was with him I may not know what to expect or know I'm safe but its fun. Not knowing what's gonna happen, or where your gong to end up. The other day I was partying the playboy Bruce Wayne and now I was dancing with one of the most wanted mass murderers in Gotham City.

_Ladada ladada ladadaoh ohhh And this will be the first time in a weekThat I'll talk to youAnd I can't speakIt's been three whole days since I've had sleepBecause I dream of his lips on your cheekAnd I got the point that I should leave you aloneBut we both know that I'm not that strongAnd I miss the lips that made me fly_

His lips. His lips made me fly. Looking up at them I wasn't scared like most by the scars on either side, but I was longing for them. I wanted to feel them up against my own.

_So let's not pretend like you're alone tonight(I know he's there and)You're probably hanging out and making eyes(while across the room, he stares)I bet he gets the nerve to walk the floorAnd ask my girl to dance, and she'll say yesBecause these words were never easier for me to say Or her to second guessBut I guessThat I can live without you butWithout you I'll be miserableAnd I can live without you but Without you I'll be miserableAnd I can live without youOh, without you I'll be miserable at best _

The song ended and we ceased our dancing, still holding the same positions though.

I wasn't sure If I should drop my hands for fear he might get mad, but secretly I kept them there because wanted them there.

Instead tough, he let go a slowly backed away. A new grin plastered onto his panted face. The spotlight began to fade away as new lights slowly turned on. They started from where we had entered and, one by one, began turning on until hey reached the other end of the room, which was very large and decorated in fancy ribbons and flowers. It was a ballroom and it was fit for a fairytale ball. I gasped amazed at its splendor and looked to the Joker in surprise. But what I saw made my blood run cold.

About twenty feet away was the Joker who was standing behind a plain looking chair that held a woman who was also in a dress.

She was tied down to the chair and gagged, with cuts everywhere. Not too deep but deep enough to draw blood. Her dress was also covered in rips and tears with blood all over it.

The Joker un gagged her while humming the similar tune as earlier and she let out an ear-splitting shriek. One I was all too familiar with. That was a scream of pure terror.

Anger flashed across his face as he placed a hand over her mouth with his knife at her neck.

I couldn't let him hurt this girl so I took a step closer to him, only to be pulled back by two of his goons. I yelled and kicked but I was too weak too really fight hard enough. Plus they both were probably three times the size of me.

The Joker cackled at my useless fighting and turned towards the girl.

" Now, pretty. If I remove my hand will you promise not to scream. Cause see I'm not gonna hurt you until," He pointed to me with his knife. " she tells me to," I glared at the Joker. I would never tell him to hurt an innocent girl.

" I would never." I said matter-of factly.

He Just chuckled and waited for her answer. She was shaking very much as it was and she managed to nod her head slightly.

" Good, good." was all he said before he removed his hand.

She began to cry, which then turned into sobs and I felt so horrible, like it was my fault. And it was.

" Now, pretty, what is your name?" His voice feigned innocence and I scoffed.

He noticed this and raised and eyebrow at me but I just looked away.

" I-I'm Tara C-Coates." she managed to let out in between sobs.

" That's a lovely name. Tara. Now Tara we are going to play a little game."

Her sobs had quieted down, as if she was calming but I knew better. Things were getting worse.

" W-What kind of game." she said almost inaudibly.

" Well, my dear. Its called a mind of its own. The Rules are simple. The more you scream the less it'll hurt okay?" she seemed to tense as he got closer to her and I couldn't help but feel empty. Any normal person would be crying there eyes out, begging and pleading for him to stop but I couldn't. She was crying again and he began to circle around her, fiddling with the knife in his hands.

" So Tara, this is uh, gonna hurt." he smacked his lips and threw the knife with great accuracy, into her shoulder. She screamed loudly and the men around me just laughed.

I tried to look away but one of the clown men grabbed my face and turned t so I was forced to watch the " show".

The Joker grabbed the knife from her shoulder and backhanded her in the face, causing the chair to fall backwards. There was a loud bang and another scream. And the smell of blood became even more potent if that was even possible.

Next, he grabbed the girl by her hair and pulled the chair up off the ground before slowly placing it right-side up. Tara's screams were awful and full of pan and terror. She was sobbing and she was coughing up blood.

This I couldn't take.

I couldn't watch as this girl got tortured to death. It wasn't right.

I shut my eyes but could still hear the shrill screams and cries for help she let out. I don't know how long went by before the room went silent except for Tara's heavy panting. Feeling the coast was clear, I opened my eyes and was met with a deathly glare from the Joker. He was standing behind the girl, now. And had a feeling I knew what was coming.

Unable to close my eyes, I watched as the Joker placed the knife to her throat and slice.

Blood poured endlessly from her throat, like a waterfall and landed on the ground in a puddle that was getting dangerously close to my feet.

I tried backing away but the goons refused to budge. Instead they threw me down into it and I screamed. I was now stained head to toe in crimson.

I began to get up but received a sharp kick to the stomach and fell back into the blood, tasting it on my lips.

The Joker was standing over me cleaning his knife on his coat as he spoke.

"Leave. Now."

I heard his men mumble reply's and quickly exit the room.

Again I was alone with him but this time I was not feeling like a love struck teenager. I was terrified.

" You know, my sweet, it really disappointed me that you didn't watch the show. I mean, I did it all for you."

I glared up at him in disgust. And for once he did not like it.

He pulled my up by my hair and I let out a yelp of pain. The joker was holding me up off the ground before he threw me into a chair that had not been there earlier.

" Now, Its _my_ turn for some fun."

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OOO CLiiffie lol anyway if u want a nice good chapter up soon i need reviews and i mean ALOT

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	10. The Forbidden Fruit

**A/N: Greetings fellow readers, i am glad to present the 9th installment to my story What Doesnt Kill You. Haha now that all that formal stuff is out of the way, thank you to everyone who ahs read and reviewed. PLEASE CONTNUE :] **

**Also HUGE thanks too my friend Smiley-the-Clown with helping me with part 2 of the suprise. **

**Lastly, Sorry for the not updating for almost aa week but its vacation and i am determined to get up 2 chapters Not including this one this week. so yeahhhh lol**

**Disclaimer: I only own little Annabelle, but she is pretty spiffy**

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"_When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained." _

_- Mark Twain_

I gripped the chair painfully, awaiting my horrible fate.

The Joker stalked towards me stealthily, like a predator hunting his prey, and I sank even farther into the chair. His face was livid and I found myself terrified.

There were tears filling my eyes but I refused to let any more fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he broke me down. No I would not. Mustering up all the courage I could, I straightened up in my chair and watched him as evenly as possible.

He looked baffled for a moment at my sudden change in mood and burst into hysterical laughter. This made me fume.

" What is your fucking damage? Are you really that deranged that you can go from killing an innocent girl, to hating me, then laugh in my face?" My fists were balled up at my sides, and I had jumped out of the chair, nearly knocking it to the floor.

We were face to face now, or as close as we could be with our different heights, and I was high on adrenaline. With all the strength I had in my, I pushed the Joker to the ground. The hardwood floor met the back of his head with frighteningly fast speed and the sound of the blow echoed throughout the room. All that adrenaline found its way out of my system almost as soon as it entered and I was left helpless again.

The Joker was lying motionless on the ground but I was afraid to get any closer to him. I watched as he lay there, eyes closed and slowly breathing, but found a nagging sense of worry seem to creep into me. He had been unconscious for at least five minutes now. What if I had really hurt him? What if he died?

Part of me was perfectly content with both these options but another, less rational side, disagreed. The Joker had hurt me both physically and mentally but I couldn't help but keep falling into his charming trap.

Letting my less rational side take over, I tip-toed over to the sleeping Joker and kneeled down by his head. His scraggly green hair was sticking in every direction and was matted in his own blood. There was also a small puddle of blood on the floor around his head. Not enough to be fatal though.

His face looked almost peaceful as he snoozed away. His face paint was still nearly flawless except for the laugh lines left from his continuous smile and he seemed happy. His scars twitched slightly and my hand automatically flew to his face, but I stopped it an inch away. I wanted to touch his scars. Just once. And now was my opportune moment.

Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I moved my fingers to his face timidly and felt the rough, but smoothness of his scars. That was as far as it got.

The Joker's eyes flew open and his eyes were burning with uncontrollable rage. He growled and tore my hand away from his face, pushing me across the floor. I hit the wall and cried out in pain.

The Joker had gotten up and walked over to the chair when he picked it up and came closer to me. As he did so, he threw the chair and I narrowly crawled out of the way. He didn't like that and ran over to me, cornering me against the wall.

Now I was crying and I hated the fact that he won. I couldn't take it anymore and I broke down. Tears streamed down my face as he grabbed a fistful of my hair and heaved me into a standing position. My legs were barely working and I couldn't stand straight. To keep me up, he pressed himself against me.

" Stop Crying" he growled, but I couldn't stop. The tears kept flowing and this angered him. He shook me roughly causing my head to bash into the wall.

" I. Said. Stop." his voice was low and menacing. I did the best I could and after a few seconds my sobs had diminished.

He pulled his knife out from his pocket and held it against the base of my throat. I felt a sharp sting, and warm blood drip down my throat. It was only a small cut but it shut me up completely.

I looked up to him frightened and he smiled his Cheshire cat grin.

The Joker leaned into me and whispered, " Don't _ever _touch my scars again. You got that princess?" his menacing voice gave me chills and I nodded shakily in response. Pleased with his response, he took the knife away from my throat but kept his tight grip on my neck.

" Now, this hasn't gone exactly how I imagined, but that's what makes it all the more worth while! Don't you agree? Hm?" His grip on my neck tightened, and my breath caught in my throat.

" That reminds me of a dream I just had after you so _rudely_ threw me into unconsciousness. But don't worry im not mad doll. I like that fire in you. Its unexpected and so _chaotic._" he seemed to salivate over the last word and I looked away in disgust. I couldn't believe he could be so moody. It was really starting to infuriate me.

" Hey, look at me." his voice turned sour and I reluctantly met his eager gaze, " Good, listening. You will go far. He he. Now, as I was saying, In my dream, the world had suffered a, uh, terrible disaster. A black haze shut out the sun, and the darkness was alive with the moans and screams of wounded people. Suddenly, a small light glowed. A candle flickered into life, symbol of hope for millions. A single tiny candle, shining in the ugly dark.."

The Joker seemed to be lost in his own words. As if he was in a world all his own. A place he loved to be, filled with chaos and mayhem. A place where everything was senseless, making all the sense in the world.

I had to pull him back to reality so I spoke up.

" A-and then what happened?" my voice was barely above whisper and it shook vigorously.

His eyes focused back on my and a grin engulfed his white face. Licking his lips, he replied. "I laughed and blew it out" He cackled and stepped backwards, pulling me along with him.

Strangely, I understood the logic of his dream. Not only did I understand it, I believed in it. Not fully but to an extent. And that extent scared me.

I was still being pulled back by the laughing Joker when my feet began to feel the warm liquid blood from the dead girl. Feeling this, I tried to squirm out of his grasp but he only grabbed on tighter and giggled.

By now the Joker had paused and was staring deep into my eyes. I opened my mouth to speak but he put a finger to my lips before giggling and throwing me into the chair. The same chair Tara had been sitting in. The same chair she had been killed in.

I couldn't breathe. The bile coming up my throat was making me choke and my hands flew to my mouth. Only nothing came. I coughed wildly, and the Joker began to circle around me evilly.

After my brief gagging fit ended, I watched as the Joker just circled around me. He was playing with something in his hands, but I couldn't make out what it was. All I could make out was the deep red color of the circular object. And that unnerved me. This was not like him. He liked bombs, and knives. And this was no knife. It could be a bomb but it was red, almost crimson. That made the likeliness of this object being a bomb very slim.

" What's that?" I said softly looking from his dark eyes to the red object in his hands. I was afraid for his answer but I needed to know what it was. For my sanity, if anything.

" Oh this?" he said raising his hand. Placed in his palm was a deliciously red apple.

" Its just a little, uh, gift for my pet." he threw the apple into the air, and caught it easily. I watched as he twirled it around in his gloved hands.

I didn't like this situation. It seemed all to normal. Too _sane._ I started to squirm in my chair as my eyes darted around the room, looking for an exit. The only one I could find was the door on the far wall that we had entered through. Too far for me to make it before the Joker got to me.

The joker followed my gaze to the door and chuckled.

" Don't even think about it doll. You'll regret it." His smiling face held no amusement, and I knew he was serious.

" By the way," he said as he strolled towards me, before kneeling down in front of me, " Did I mention just how beautiful you look in that dress. My little Snow White."

I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, and I felt a rush of warmth flood my cheeks.

The Joker put his gloved hand to my cheek and traced a line from my cheek bone down across my lips, and back up the other side. The skin he had touched was left with a tingling feeling. But my eyes never left his.

They were deep ocean of secrets.

Once he had finished, he let his hand cup my face, but I didn't lean into it like I wanted to. I wouldn't give in to his whims. With his other hand he brought the apple to his blood red lips and they seemed to blend together. The Joker kissed it, but his eyes stayed on mine the entire time.

Soon, his lips left the fruit and he brought it to my lips. Afraid to refuse, I brought my lips to the fruit and let them touch. The apple was cool to my lips and I could smell its sweet juices.

Then, he took the apple away and grabbed both my hands with his. He placed the fruit into my hands and brought my hands up, bringing the apple within inches of my mouth. It looked mouth- watering, and I was starving but this could be a trap. I suddenly remembered Snow White and how she was poisoned with an appetizing apple. The Joker could be tricking me. But if he were to kill me I would think he would do it a little more creatively.

The Joker cleared his throat and looked at me, amusement glittering in his eyes.

" Now doll, I want you to do something for me." he smacked his lips together and I waited hesitantly for what he would ask of me. " Its quite, uh, simple actually. I want you to eat the apple."

I knew this was coming. I tried to protest but the Joker pushed my hands towards my face and now the apple was pressed against my lips. But I refused to bite.

This frustrated him and he growled in anger. Now I was starting to feel eve more worried. This was obviously something that would humor him, and I was putting it off.

" Annabelle. Eat. The Apple." I didn't listen.

" Eat it or ill make you. And believe me, it wont be pleasant." There was an edge to his voice that I had not heard before. Almost like desperation, but maybe I was just hearing things.

I had to weigh my options. But there wasn't enough time. Instead I decided on putting my fate in the Joker's hand. If the Joker was going to kill me he would, and couldn't stop it.

I shakily brought the forbidden fruit to my open lips and closed my eyes sharply. Biting down, I felt the juices flow into my mouth along with sharp pangs throughout my mouth. A warm metallic liquid entered my mouth and I gagged in disgust, causing another round of pain. Tears filled my eyes, and I squinted through them down to the bloodied apple in my hands. Embedded in the apple were sharp crimson razors.

The tears fell from my eyes as did the apple. It landed on the hard wood floor and rolled over to where the Joker had moved to stand. Bending down to pick up the apple, he smiled his toothy grin. I stared at him in horror.

I tried to say something but my mouth screamed in protest.

Seeing this, the Joker giggled and walked back over to me. He kneeled down again and this time I fought back. My arm flew forward and slapped him across his face. He liked that.

I couldn't believe him. He was having fun with this!

My arm went back to strike him again but he caught it, twisting it around painfully. With his other hand he grabbed my face roughly and brought it within inches of his. Angrily, I tried pushing him away with me free arm but it had no effect. If anything, it made him giggle in delight.

He had pulled my face so close to his that our lips were nearly touching before he spoke.

" Hm. My little Snow White has had a taste of the poisoned apple-"

" You gave it to me, dumb ass" I spat, cutting him off. Some of the pain had subsided but it was still aching, and bleeding.

My outburst caused him to laugh.

" Your funny darling, but I believe you need my kiss of life to make everything all better." he licked his lips and wagged his eye brows suggestively.

Repulsed, I tried to move my head but his grip was too strong.

Before I knew what was happening, he forced his lips to mine. They moved along my lips roughly and passionately, and his scars brushed themselves up against my skin smoothly. I didn't kiss back, I was too furious. He soon realized this as his tongue traced along my bottom lip, begging for entrance. But still I did nothing.

Growling, he pulled away and shoved me away, causing me to fall onto the wet floor. I couldn't hold it in any longer. Jumping to my feet, I spun to face him and screamed.

" You Crazy, stupid, psychotic, clown! Life isn't all about hurting everyone else to save yourself from the hurt. Get over this masochistic shit, and just let me go free."

I had begun crying tears of anger and hated myself for this sign of weakness. But he didn't even bother me with an answer. Instead, he chuckled and mumbled something along the lines of " im not crazy" but I couldn't be sure.

I rolled my eyes and looked away just as he lunged for me, landing directly infront of me. The Joker grabbed me by my arms and watched me for a moment.

He licked his lips with his snake-like tongue, then spoke cheerfully.

"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting, sweets"

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**There. Hope you liked it. Now all you have to do is Review and i will be quite happy. If i get 5 reviews or more i will even do something super special but its a secret! :]**

**So Review**

**Now**

**You know you want too**


	11. Edge of Greatness

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**A/N: Greetings and salutations. Sorry for the wait. I had this written by sunday but then i wasnt allowed to log in. I was quite annoyed. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. There is a song in this one called Come Josephine and i based the dream in this chapter loosely on the encounter with Snow White in the show the 10th Kingdom. The dream sequence is pretty long and is seperated by those star things. So dont be confused. She isnt meeting Snow White for real or anythin. Sorry. No magic lol. Im such a party pooper. hahaha**

**Also BIG thanks to everyone who reviewed. I have taken your advice into consideration. :]**

**Disclaimer: Dont own any batman characters, including the Joker, i just own Annabelle.**

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_The fairytale is irresponsible; it is frankly imaginary, and its purpose is to gratify wishes, "as a dream doth flatter."_

_- Susan K. Langer_

I watched as those words left his mouth, heard them enter my ears, and waited as they sank themselves into my brain.

The Joker seemed so sure of his words, so unbelievably certain. And his logic was crazed and ludicrous. For a moment I was pulled into his crazy world. His world of fairy tale illusion and nightmareic fright. Filled with chaos and death. A world that looked a lot like my past, colorful and tragic.

I started to think of the kind of life the Joker lived. How he was impossibly alone even surrounded by his goons. He had no one who understood him, no one who noticed or even cared.

His life was on a level these clown men could never reach. No matter how hard they tried. The Joker was just ahead of the curve.

I was pulled from my reverie by the sound of saliva smacking against lips, and my eyes focused onto the Joker's white face. He was staring intently at my face, searching for something unknown to me. My anger had slowly faded down to normal and I'm sure he could see it in my eyes.

The Joker must have found what he was looking for because he half walked, half dragged me through the bloody mess on the floor back to the entranceway. My eyes grew with the hope of finally leaving this room as we neared the door.

I half expected the Joker to be an ass, and taunt me by holding me back from the door but he surprised me. He just brought me through the door into the smaller room outside. This was not at all like the Joker I had seen all of two minutes ago. He was furious and now he, well, wasn't.

His pace seemed to quicken as we made our way through the doors of the room out into the hallway. I could barely keep up and he didn't stop when I stumbled. Instead, he tightened his grip on my already throbbing arm and towed me back to what I assumed was my bed room.

Once inside, he dropped me onto the floor and slammed the door shut, loudly.

I watched as he skipped over to the bed and jumped wildly into it, causing the bed to shake viciously. He seemed to make himself at home as he sprawled himself out on the bed, giggling as he did so. The Joker was such a strange person. Crazy one moment, to giggling like a school girl the next.

For a second I thought he might have forgotten about my presence entirely. He hadn't acknowledged me the whole time that he was getting comfortable on the bed and now he was humming quietly to himself. The same tune as before.

Puzzled, I straightened out into a standing position and watched the Joker looking quite pleased, with his eyes closed, and his everlasting smile plastered on to his painted face. I took this opportunity to calmly walk towards the door. If I remembered correctly, I hadn't heard him lock it. This meant I could escape, seeing as the Joker wouldn't be expecting it. He was still humming to himself, and if I was quiet enough, he wouldn't realize I was gone. Not until it was too late.

Sucking in a steady, confident breath, I took the final steps separating me from the door and took a hold of the brass door knob.

The Joker was still humming his tune and I sung the lyrics to the song in my head.

_Come Josephine in my flying machine_

_Going up she goes_

_Up she goes_

I turned the knob ever so slowly, making sure it didn't squeak. Luck was on my side.

_Balance yourself like a bird on a beam_

_In the air she goes_

_There she goes_

I opened the door just enough for me to slip through and closed it slowly, watching the Joker's lying form the entire time. He was still humming, and I was still singing.

_Up, up, a little bit higher_

_Oh, my, the moon is on fire_

The door made contact with its frame with a soft click. Almost inaudible to my ears. I just stood outside that door for a moment before my legs started moving in overtime. I ran so fast, so fluidly down the hall that I almost crashed when I came to a crossroads.

There was another hallway to my left and to my right. Both looked equally promising.

Going on instinct, I ran to my left and ran as far as the hallway stretched. Sadly, I had made the wrong decision. There were no stairs. But there were windows, showing me I was at least three stories high into the air. To far for me to jump.

_Come Josephine in my flying machine_

_Going up_

_All on_

Discouraged, I turned on my foot and ran back towards the other hallway. As I came back toward the intersection, I felt a sharp wave of both anger and fear wash over me, and I sped up my pace. But that wasn't enough.

_Good-bye. _

One minute I was running, and the next I was falling. Something had tripped me and my head smashed itself against the corner of the wall. Blood ran down my face and I felt the warm revolting liquid against my lips. I looked over to see what had tripped me and gasped.

What had tripped me was a black shoe that was protruding out into the hallway. I followed the leg coming out of the shoe, starting from the multi colored sock to the purple pants. All the way up to his green vest, and eventually, his painted face.

The Joker was smiling down at my evilly as I tried to pick myself up off the floor. Unfortunately, the wound on my head was making me unbelievably dizzy. And everything around me blurred in and out of focus. This didn't help in my effort of getting up.

I had made it onto my knees before I slumped backed down, and never stopped falling.

*** * * * ***

I had been running for hours in the underground maze of caves. It was dark, cold, wet, and terrifying. I was on the verge of giving up when I saw a bright white light up ahead.

Following the light, I was amazed at what I saw.

It was a bright white room embedded within the caves. Open and beautiful. Almost like a little Iceland fairytale. With its pure white rocks, and its glittering ice. And the thin layer of soft white snow.

I had never seen something so beautiful

Amazed, I walked further into the wondrous cave. It seemed to give off a glow that lit up the place without any actual source of light. As I got farther into the cave, a chill went through me and I rubbed my arms for warmth. This caused me to look down at my attire.

What I was wearing was the same dress I had been wearing earlier. The only thing different about it, was the fact that it was free of any crimson stains. My feet were still bare though, but they weren't cold like they should have been from walking in the ice and snow.

That was when I noticed a circular white stone elevated off from the ground in the middle of the room that was surrounded by large ice pillars. On the stone, running along the outside of the it, were words that seemed to tell a story.

I walked up closer to the stone and read the words aloud, following them all the way around.

"For seven men she gave her life. For one good man she was his wife. Beneath the ice by Snow White Falls. Here lies the fairest of them all."

As I read those words, something inside of me clicked. And by the time I had walked around the stone circle I was back to the beginning. There were a few steps leading up to the elevated portion of the ice stone and I eagerly climbed them.

I reached the top of the stone circle, which was only a few feet off the ground and found a giant ice block sitting in the middle of it. Inside the ice block, there seemed to be something so I kneeled down to get a better look.

I was right.

Embedded within the ice was a beautiful girl, with skin white as snow, lips red as ruby's and hair black as ebony. She was wearing a dress that consisted of a black bodice and white billowing sleeves. That girl was Snow White.

But as quickly as I had seen her, she seemed to disappear within the ice. Which was when I heard my name being called.

" Annabelle."

I turned quickly to find the source of the noise and was confronted by something that seemed like a miracle. Snow White walked gracefully towards me, from the back of the ice cave. Her dress gliding behind her.

" Hello, Annabelle. You look tired." She said. Her voice sounding like velvet.

" Are you dead?" was all I could manage to say.

"Well, yes. I think you'd have to say so. I'm more into the fairy-godmother, occasional-appearance sort of thing now." she said with a chuckle. "But I still have influence over things."

This made no sense. Was she my fairy god mother?

" What sort of things? I-I don't understand." I inquired, my voice filled with curiosity. She held out her hand for me to take, and I did just that, as she helped me on to the snowy ground.

" Don't worry Belle. I will explain," She walked us over to a bench made out of the shining ice and sat down. I soon followed.

" See, ever since you were a child, I have watched over you. Back from when you and your childhood friends, Bruce and Rachael, would play at Wayne manor, all the way up until now. But soon you will have to see and be seen. I've protected you all these years. Through all the hardships you have faced with your parents, and your running away, and the fighting. And lastly, the incident." her voice was filled with kindness, but talking about my past wasn't something I necessarily enjoyed. So I removed my hands from hers and looked away, trying to think of something else.

" Annabelle don't be upset. I see how you have tried to change things and that's good. But don't hide from your past. Embrace your mistakes just as much as your accomplishments. They will save you in the end. But don't, don't live this guarded safe life your trying to live. Its fake. Its not you."

My head snapped up and I could feel the stinging tears I was holding back.

" Sometimes its easier living the lie." As I said this I got up and walked a few feet before turning back to her, crossing my arms across my chest for warmth, and maybe for another reason. Maybe to hold myself together.

"You're cold. You're cold, Annabelle. How did you become so cold? You are still lost in the forest. But lonely, lost girls like us can rescue themselves. You are standing on the edge of greatness."

Thinking about that forest made my heart race. And not in a good way. Sweat collected on the back of my neck, and my breathing became strained. Closing my eyes, I steadied my breathing and spoke.

" And what kind of greatness is that?" I mumbled, my arms still folded tightly around my chest.

" That's the beauty of it Belle! Only you will know what it is exactly. And once you find it out, you will have finally rescued yourself."

Feeling a bit better, I walked back over to where Snow White was sitting, and sat down myself. We sat there for a few moments as I tried to think of something to say. This led me to think of the story of Snow White.

" Snow White, Can I ask you something?" she smiled and nodded.

" Well, I was just curious as to why you opened the door to your evil step mother? Wasn't it obvi-" she cut me off before I could finish my question.

"Why did I let her in? Didn't I know she was bad? I did. Of course I did. But I also knew that I couldn't keep the door closed all my life just because it was dangerous. Just because there was a chance that I might get hurt."

I thought about that for a minute before I grabbed her hands and spoke.

" But what does any of this have to do with me?"

" Annabelle, have a look into your past, and just think. Everything that you have done. Both good and bad. Then look at everyone you have ever loved. It's a pretty small list isn't it?" Her voice held a hint of desperation that unnerved me more than anything else had up until this point.

" Do not cling to what you know. Do not think. Become. Embrace the darkness." Those were her last words as she slowly faded away into nothingness.

It was then that I was left all alone, with a message I didn't fully understand as I too, slowly faded into nothingness.

*** * * * ***

Dim light.

Dim light and soft chattering.

That's what I awoke to after my fairytale nightmare.

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**There is chapter 10! I Hope it tickles your fancy lol. Sorry not much Joker in this one, but i will make up for that next chapter. :]**

**WEll it is now 2am so i should head off to bedd. Night. Or Morning. Afternoon? Whichever it is. lol**

**OHH and REVIEW MY LITTLE CHERUBSS**


	12. Hate is a Strong Word

**A/N: Hey Guys, Here's the Next chapter. Sorry if it stinks, im sick and i just wanted to get another chapter out before school starts up again. If you dont like it IM SORRY :[.**

**Also Im thinking of Having a title change, here are the options. Chasing Darkness; The Poisonous Dreamland; A Chaotic Wonderland; and last but not least; Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave. **

**Review me with what you think, or if you dont think i should, or if you have another idea. Please Review for mehh. lol :]**

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_And finally I twist my heart round again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside, and keep on trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, and could be, if there weren't any other people living in the world. _

_- Anne Frank _

The pain in my head had diminished, allowing me to fully open my eyes and take in my surroundings.

I was lying on an old beaten up couch, that smelled like ash. And there was a large dusty quilt thrown over me. Lazily, I pushed the thick quilt off of me, onto the floor, thankful to be relieved of the heat the blanket held. Feeling a cool breeze blow across me, I looked down at myself.

Instead of the bloodied gown I had been wearing earlier, I was dressed in something very different. On my legs were a pair of black skinny jeans that fit almost perfectly. They were paired with a light purple tank top and a neon green, studded belt. I reminded myself of a miniature Joker.

But what bothered me the most was the fact that I hadn't dressed myself in this outfit.

Suddenly paranoid, and a little angry, I stretched, getting ready to get up and freak out on somebody, but stopped mid stretch when the mumbling voices grew louder.

They started off quiet but grew louder the closer they became.

" Boss, how exactly do you plan to get this bat outta hiding?" A man said. I recognized the voice as the man from the other night, who I assumed to be second in command.

" That-ah doesn't really matter now does it. It will, uh, happen when it happens." I heard the Joker say, as he lightly smacked his goon.

They were only feet away from the back of the couch now, and I could see the tops of their heads. Joker seemed to be a few inches shorter then his goon but I'm sure he didn't even notice.

The Joker turned then, and I laid as flat as I could on the lumpy couch. From what I could see, he was just staring at the back of the couch, not even moving, then I heard him give a throaty chuckle.

Very casually, he walked around the side of the couch and smiled wildly when he saw me staring at him with narrowed eyes.

" Good morning _princess_," he said, emphasizing the last word in a mocking fashion. I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to get under my skin and make me lose focus, but I refused to do so.

" How did I get into these clothes," I said sharply. He only laughed it off, so I continued.

" I'm serious, how-" He cut me off, his voice almost a growl.

" And that's the problem, sweetheart. Always so serious, never stopping to, uh, smell the roses." he finished his little rant with a giggle. But before I could respond he lunged at me. Landing on top of me, with me stuck in between his legs.

I began to protest but in a flash, he had the cold metal blade of his knife pressed against my lips.

" Shh, Shh." he said soothingly as he stared intently at me. A look of deep concentration etched into his painted face. It wasn't until now that I had really looked at him.

He was still in his signature ensemble, of course. But it was missing his oversized purple coat. leaving him only in his Blue button up shirt, and green vest, which hugged him amazingly. Accentuating his perfect body.

I wanted so bad to reach out and grab his shirt, and pull him closer, but then I thought better. This was exactly what he wanted. He wanted me to give in, to break. This was, after all, just another one of his games.

But instead of hearing some sort of chuckle come from him because of my blatantly obvious staring, he asked me a strange question.

" Do you lie?" he said, his voice just above a whisper. And for once, his eyes held nothing but sheer curiosity. He had moved his knife away from my lips, but now it was placed against the bare skin above my chest.

Confused on how to respond, I simply said, " Why, do you?"

Chuckling once, he answered, a bit louder this time. "No, I'm askin', if _you_ lie."

His voice took on a serious tone and I thought for a moment. Part of me wanted to lie, but another part of me wanted to spill my guts out in a heart felt confession. But I knew neither would be good.

Looking away from his dark, brown eyes, I responded. ""Honesty is not synonymous with truth." And I meant that answer, but obviously, The Joker found it humorous.

He was in a fit of laughter, but not one that made him sound evil, actually it sounded kind of endearing. It sounded sweet. But his laughing caused him to shake, digging the knife into my skin, causing a bleeding cut to form.

Wincing slightly, I pushed his hand away but he was to absorbed in his laughter to notice. After a few more giggles escaped his Cheshire cat mouth, he spoke.

" Ya... you lie."

Slightly annoyed I countered, " What does this have to do with anything? Maybe I lie, maybe I don't. What's it to you?"

Feigning innocence, his hands flew to his mouth in fake shock. " How dare you say something so ubsur**d**? Maybe I just care about ya peaches." His giggles began to fill my ears again. Exasperated, I covered them with my hands.

" Or maybe," he said, pulling my hands away roughly, pinning them by my sides. " I know that you've been through something. Something that has changed you. And you live every day like its your, uh, last, hoping it really is because you cant forget. And ever since then it has left you empty, hollow, lifeless. Like me. A shell of your former self. Always trying to pay your penance-" Tears had sprouted into to my eyes and I angrily shook them away.

" That's enough. We're done talking about this. You don't know me and I don't know you, and we are not having this discussion." My voice shook slightly, but anger filled every syllable.

Why was he so interested in my past? No, why did he _know _so much about my past? I didn't like it. Nobody, except for myself and Bruce, knew about any of the events leading up to my return to Gotham. Not even the Police. And I thought it would stay that way, I mean, it had already been a year..

I was shaking my head vigorously when a laughing Joker grabbed my chin and held it tightly. Leaning into my ear, he spoke huskily, " No one forgets the truth, darling. They just get better at lying. Remember that." His hot breath tickled the back of my neck, and I squirmed in his grip from both anger, and pleasure? But I didn't have enough time to think.

His scarred lips pressed themselves against mine bruisingly, and to my surprise, I let them. Well, not necessarily, because at first, I tried pushing him away with my only free hand. Not doing any damage, and I really didn't want to. Pushing him away quickly became the last thing on my mind as our lips worked magic together.

Soon, the kiss deepened, and I was using my now, free hands, to pull him closer. His hands were placed at the small of my back, and at the side of my face, as he pulled me closer to him as well. All my thoughts were centered on him. His scarred cheeks brushing against mine. His tongue tracing my bottom lip flawlessly. And his perfect chest pressed up tight against me..

After, what seemed like such a short time, the kiss broke and we were both left gasping for breath. But that didn't even last for long.

Our lips found each others again, and this time the Joker began sliding his warm, soft hands under my shirt. Before I knew what was happening, my shirt was off and was thrown onto the carpeted floor. That was when I started unbuttoning his green vest.

Our lips separated but his lips never let my skin. They made there way down to my neck, and up by my ear, until I had gotten his vest off. Now our lips were working together, and I parted mine as I began unbuttoning his blue shirt. That was when a man, only a few feet away, cleared his throat loudly.

The kiss broke and the Joker growled angrily. Pulling a gun from behind the couch pillow, he quickly cocked it and pulled the trigger. The shot echoed throughout the entire house, and everything went silent.

The Joker was sitting up now, still on top of me, so I sat up a little more, seeing the dead man lying on the ground. The shot hit him square in the head, and blood was pooling around him.

Now that the kiss had broken, I began thinking clearly. _What had I just done?_

The Joker had gotten off of me and had begun buttoning his shirt and vest back up. He wasn't looking at me. This gave me some time to think.

I just kissed, no, I just made out with the Joker, and if we hadn't been interrupted it would have gone further. This was exactly what he wanted, and on some level, it was what I wanted too.

Disgusted with myself, I started moving off the couch to pick up my shirt but was pushed back into the couch forcefully by the Joker. Silently, he picked up my shirt and was about to toss it to me when he stopped. Looking down at the shirt, then to me, his lips curved into an eerie smile.

Laughing like a mad scientist, he brought the shirt to his face and inhaled, before slicing his knife straight through it. Leaving it a tattered mess.

Still giggling, he threw the used-to-be shirt at me and strolled off. I watched as he skipped happily towards the door before stopping.

" And to, uh, answer your question, my sweet Snow White. I changed you into that lovely outfit you are currently, or well _were_ wearing. He he. See ya later princess." With that he walked through the only door in the room and locked it.

" At least he had the decency to tell me," I mumbled to myself, and suddenly felt crazy for thinking he was being decent. Another one of his tricks.

Finally alone, I took one look at the shirt and threw it to the ground. It wasn't even a shirt anymore.

I was left in nothing but some pants and a bra. If one of his goons came in they would be pleasantly surprised.

Shaking away any thought of peeping tom's, I got up and paced back and forth across the dirty carpeted floor. That kiss was something I wasn't expecting, but it was strangely something I welcomed. Was I going crazy? Or was this some hidden part of me I had pushed so far down that I even forgot I had it myself.

No. I could never _forget _that part of me. I could never forget the things I had done, and the ways I had acted. But sometimes, like now, it felt good to be reminded. It felt good to know what I was capable of..

Sighing, I walked over to the couch and sat myself into it.

The Joker was beyond confusing. So I had no idea what that kiss meant. Not only what it meant for him, but what it meant for me. I mean, I loved it, but I hated it. He was a mass murdering, crazy fuck. But he was a damn good kisser. And deep down, I really kind of had a feeling I was one of the only people who understood his psychotic logic.

Not only did I understand his twisted mind, but I felt like some part of me, if not already believed in it, used to believe in it.

Suddenly, a part of the nightmare I had, popped into my head, making me think differently about the events that just occurred.

_Embrace the Darkness_

And you know what, I think I might.

What am I getting myself into?

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**There fellow readers, sorry if its a suck fest, and im sorry if u didnt like the whole 'Interaction' between Annabelle and Mr. J but it was necessary to really get these things in motion. I Hope nobody thinks im going to fast with it. Anyway this chapter was fun to write but not my best, im sick after all :[**

**Now REVIEW**

**Please i need lotssss**

**And dont forget about telling me about Title options :]**


	13. Something Wicked This Way Comes

A/N: Heyy This chapter is a tad bit short sorry lol. And its not my finest, im just a little stuck on how these next few chapter are gonna go. but after that we are GOLDENN. Please Read and Review! I NEED REVIEWS

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_On the road that I have taken,_

_one day, walking, I awaken,_

_amazed to see where I have come,_

_where I'm going, where I'm from_.

_- Dean Koontz_

I wasn't in that dreary, lifeless room for very long before there came a loud bang from outside the door.

Shocked by the sudden noise in the otherwise silent room, I stood up from the couch and readied myself for whatever may happen. Another bang emanated from beyond the door and my hands curled into fists at my sides, ready for a fight.

I was still shirtless, and I wasn't going to let any one of the Joker's Henchmen think they can have their way with me. And a small part of me hoped the Joker had told them just that. Maybe he cared just enough, just maybe. But who was I kidding? He would probably find it entertaining. Better than cable.

Just then two of his men burst through the door, their masks off, and charged towards me.

I watched as they both stopped mere feet from me, and just stared. The looks on their faces were priceless with there mouths hanging open, and there eyes wide as they could be.

Thinking this would be a great time to run, I turned my gaze towards the door, but it was closed. And probably locked. I could tell the Joker wasn't going to take any chances on me escaping again, and a small smile graced my lips. The Joker wanted me around, but for how long?

Feeling a little uneasy about being locked in a room with two rugged looking men, a brilliant idea came to mind.

These men didn't look to be too bright. And they were certainly gaping openly at me, enjoying what they saw, so I decided to use this to my advantage. Maybe I could distract them long enough to grab the keys I'm sure they had, and make a run for it.

Sighing softly to myself, I flirtatiously stepped closer to the two men, looking as seductive as possible. They responded by tensing a bit, probably afraid that I might break their noses or something, which only made the smile on my face all the more inviting.

" Hello, boys. Is there anything I can help you with?" My voice sounded very suggestive, and I was almost surprised that this was so easy for me. " Anything at all?" As I said this I raised my hand slowly to the men's faces. Grazing their cheeks lightly, resulting in them both closing their eyes in pleasure. My plan was working.

" N-No toots. Boss just said we gotta take you out of here and back to your room, right down the hall. Id be glad to escort you there." The man to my right said. He sounded very confident. Cocky. And sure that he would get what he wanted from me, but damn was he wrong.

" No Rob. I can take it from here. After all, I'm sure she wants someone who uh knows what their doin. No offense sonny boy." The second man said, and I stifled a laugh. They were fighting over me. Someone who, in the end, would screw them over, and not literally.

The man named Rob turned towards the other goon, a scowl on his face, as he reached for his pocket. But before he could pull out whatever he was getting, the man opposite him threw a punch, knocking Rob to the ground, unconscious.

A smile grew across the other man's face as he watched Rob fall, before he let out a monstrous laugh. Repulsed by his actions, I stepped back, only to be pulled against him by my wrist. He was leering at me, a seductive smile on his face as he dragged me towards the door.

Half of me resisted, but the other half knew I had to follow through with this plan. It was the only fool proof way of getting out of here. At least, I hoped it was fool proof, but this goon was proving to be smarter than I thought, or at least more clever.

The goon was fumbling with his keys by the time we reached the door, and my eyes glittered with hope. Just minutes from freedom. Minutes from safety. Minutes from the life I had built. Made up of white lies, fake smiles, and many " I'm Fine's" which were far from the truth. Just minutes from the life I hated, a life that wasn't me. I may be free from the Joker's clutches, but I wouldn't be free from the chains I bear because of myself. I dug my hole a long time ago, and now had to lay in it.

We were out the door now, and were nearly running down the hall. The familiar wooden door growing closer and closer until we finally reached it. I watched as the door seemed to grow twice its size and tower over me. Symbolizing a dark force keeping me away from the outside world.

Steadying myself, I waited as the man shoved me through the door roughly,causing me to fall to the ground. I listened as he stomped into the room and closed the door softly which was the first time I remember that happening since I arrived. The men in this house all seemed to be so angry, slamming shit and making loud noises. This softness pleased my ears.

Looking up to the goon, I watched as he grabbed me by my shoulders and brought me to my feet. By now I had plastered on a flirtatious façade and began trailing my fingers up and down his black t- shirt. This caused a positive response, as he pushed me onto the bed.

Now was my moment to strike.

Sitting atop the bed on my knees I reached out to grab the collar of his shirt, pulling him onto the bed as well. Once on the bed, I pushed him down and straddled him, definitely feeling a response. But I knew it wasn't enough. I had to draw this out just a bit longer, not only to secure my plan, but just the fact that this amused me made me want to continue. Manipulate.

Feeling his keys in the front pocket of his jeans, I leaned in closer to him as I whispered into his ear, grazing it lightly with my teeth.

" So what's your name sexy?" I heard him moan slightly as his hands moved towards my waist. " The name's Joe, but you can call me whatever you like." he said, his voice giving me chills. His hands had wandered down even lower and I felt him grab my ass. Now I had to make my move.

Very slowly, I traced my hand down his chest, and let it wander into his pocket, pulling out the keys inconspicuously.

Joe started tugging at my bra as I slipped the keys into my pocket. But now I was set, and ready to unleash the anger building up inside of me.

" You know what I think I'm going to call you babe." I said, my voice losing its innocence towards the end. But he took that the wrong way. His smile grew and he pushed my hands away, almost unclasping my bra. Luckily I was quick enough to maneuver myself out of his grasp. " I think I'm going to call you. Over"

As I said this my arms flew back, and I began punching him in the face, feeling the wet blood soak my he pushed me off of him quickly. Landing on the floor, I ran to the door and opened it, surprised it wasn't locked, but made sure to lock it before I spun around and took off. Again, I made it down the hallway and went in the opposite corridor. I could practically smell freedom.

A flight of stairs came into vision and I let out a peal of laughter. But a dark, hunched figure stepped in the way, too soon for me to stop. Slamming into him, I nearly fell to the ground. But was held in place by a pair of strong, muscular arms.

I was still catching my breath as an ear- splitting laughter pierced my ears, causing my head to snap up. I almost got lost looking into those eyes. Deep brown pools of mystery and wonder. And I idly began to think of what he saw when looking into my eyes. He obviously saw the lies. But what else?

The Joker's laughter had dulled and his blood red lips smacked against each other.

" So, princess. I see you are making your escape. Again. You know, I think you need to be, uh, _punished _for your actions. What do you think? Hm?" His voice was filled with sinister amusement, and double meaning. But that was all I could make out as he stood there waiting for an answer. I couldnt or rather wouldnt cooperate.

" Answer me." he commanded angrily. Hs face suddenly livid. I was so taken back by his sudden mood change that I couldn't make words form. This, of course, caused him to become even more upset.

The Joker dropped me from his arms, angrily, before kicking me once in the stomach. The blow knocked the little breath I had in me, out, and I began choking on the blood coming up my throat.

Watching me like a hawk, the Joker smiled Devilishly and pulled me up by my arm, nearly yanking it out of its socket. I shrieked in pain as he pulled me towards the locked door of my prison.

Reaching for the door knob, the Joker was surprised when it wouldn't open. Again, he tried turning the knob and the same Cheshire cat grin returned to his face as he looked from the locked door back to my face, then down to my bloodied hands that he just seemed to notice. In his mind he seemed to put two and two together and his gloved hand flew to his pocket. Fearing the cool metal blade, I assumed he was about to pull out, i sealed my eyes shut. But after feeling nothing I opened my eyes to see a different sight.

Pulling out his own set of keys from his pocket, the Joker opened the door and didnt seemed shocked at what he saw. Lying on the Bed, was the bloodied Joe that I had beaten earlier. When he noticed us, his face turned even more red than it was splattered with his own blood. This only caused, both the Joker and I, to erupt with laughter.

Now I was on my feet and I walked along side the Joker into the room, his grip still held firmly onto my arm.

" What, uh, exactly happened here. Did my little Snow White do this to you?" His voice held both a tone of seriousness, and an air of amusement. He was obviously going to enjoy this. " Boss, I, she, this. Look at me. That girl is a fucking psychopath." He was stuttering, and his voice was seeping with vengeance. But, like I said, the Joker was enjoying it.

" Is that so?" Was all he said, giggling to himself.

" Yeah boss. When your done with her can I teach her some respect, she needs it. Crazy bitch." he was glaring daggers at me now, not scaring me one bit. But that last remark seemed to send The Joker over the edge.

He lunged from my side over to the bed, and dragged Joe onto the ground. Kicking him several times in the head, before taking the knife to the sides of his mouth.

The last thing I heard before the awful screams was the voice of the Joker.

" Why so serious?" He snickered, as his blade sliced through the flesh of Joe's mouth.

As he let the lifeless body fall to the ground, his gaze met mine, a devilish gleam twinkling in his otherwise dark eyes. Wiping his blade on his puprle coat, cleaning it, he strolled over to the middle of the room. The same twinkle in his eyes.

" I do believe some sort of punishment is in order for you, dollface."

Obviously the Joker I thought I knew was long gone.

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So yeah. Do you like the way this story is going? Hope so lol. Im just having a hard time with it because i dont want Annabelle ending up like being a pet to the Joker or like some obsession where he is all super possesive of her. I want it to turn out to be like a Bonnie and Clyde sorta deal so im takin this one chapter at a time.

Hope this doesnt terribly dissapoint.

Now Please Please Review.

The more i get the better and faster the next chapters will be. :]

so REVIEW


	14. All is lost

_A/N: Heyy, sorry for such a long tme between updates! I just kinda started obsessing over my second favorite movie. AGAIN! lol. So this week i have been all like WOO HOO Pirates of the Caribbean lol so Sorry.  
Hope this chapter comes out well, im like half asleep so it may not be the bestt.  
Thank you, and Revieww_

_Disclaimer: I only own dear Annabelle :]_

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_If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us. _

_- Herman Hesse_

The Joker sauntered towards me eerily, his knife in hand. And he had a sadistic grin pasted onto his face.

I had no idea what to do, so I backed myself as far from him as possible. Ready to pounce at any moment, even though it was no use. The Joker was much stronger than me. But that didn't mean I couldn't try.

We were only feet apart now, and I had one step left between me and the wall. As the Joker advanced, I took my final step back, leaving me pressed against the smooth coldness of the wall. Now I was trapped, with nowhere left to turn. There wasn't enough space between the Joker and I for me to make it to the door, and there were no other exits in sight.

" What's wrong princess? Got nowhere else to turn _ah_?" he said, leering at me. His snake like tongue darting out to his lips, as he inched closer, his knife mere inches from my bare skin. The only thing I could think of doing was fight back, even if it was a useless attempt. I couldn't just stand there and let him do what he wanted with me. I wouldn't let myself become a damsel in distress, not if I could help it.

Pushing myself off the wall, I flew into the Joker, causing him to stumble backwards. But he was holding my arms tightly in his grip. As he steadied himself, I thrashed around in his arms, hitting him numerous times, but that only made his smile grow, and his cackle to intensify.

" This, this fire you got in ya my sweet, I like it. I like it a lot." He said between snickers, as he threw me over his shoulder. I was still kicking and punching him fiercely as we neared the blood stained bed. The smell of metallic salt flooding my brain, making me dizzy. The scent intoxicated me, making my head swim, as if it just appeared. But I knew very well it had been there this whole time. _Odd. I seemed to be getting used to the smell._

As we neared the bed, my attempts at escaping increased. I pounded his back so hard im sure I left bruises, and my hands began to ache. But this didn't seem to bother him very much, other then him giving an exaggerated sigh. Joker soon plopped onto the bed softly, and roughly pulled me off of his shoulder, onto his lap. My eyes were frozen to his, awaiting his next move. And for once I had no idea what to expect. Not even the slightest clue. I had never heard him say anything about punishment before.

" Now. What to do, what to do." he mumbled to himself. Letting his gaze wander around both myself and the room. He had a faraway look in his eyes, and I knew he wasn't all there.

The silence seemed deafening, and I needed someone to break it. But it wouldn't be me. No. he had to break it, he had to snap out of it.

As if reading my thoughts, his eyes wandered back to mine, and they lost the glazed look they had previously held. A spine tingling smile spread across his face.

" Hm. It seems that there are two solutions to this problem. And I am torn between the two. Hey! Maybe you could ah help me out. Hm?" he said to me, amusement glinting in his dark eyes, even though they were as cold as ice. And equally unnerving. I fidgeted slightly in his lap, and his hands sliped down my arms, grabbing tightly to my wrists.

" Let Go!" I hissed at him, trying to pull myself out of his grip, but this only angered him, and his grip tightened on my already bruising wrists.

" Not so fast _ah,_ beautiful. I asked you a question and I **expect **an answer. So answer me!" he growled, his lips at my ear. His tone alone was enough to make me shudder. And I shut myself up, waiting for him to cool down.

" Now," he said, breathing deeply, and running his tongue over his lips noisily, " Which do you prefer for your little uh punishment?" His giggle interrupted his thought before he continued. " I was thinking that maybe you and my little friend here," he said motioning to his knife that was still in his hand, " could have some fun _ah_ together. He he. Or," he said dramatically, dropping my wrists and pulling me closer. " I could teach you some manners the old fashioned way… a good old fashioned spanking!" he said cheerfully, and I looked at him in disgust.

There was no way he was cutting me up with that little knife of his, but at the same time I wasn't gong to let him degrate me like that. No matter how much I knew I would like it…

_Curse me and my masochistic ways._

He was smiling devilishly at me, awaiting my response. And I reluctantly gave it to him, not wanting him to get angry again. An angry Joker was never a good Joker.

" I- I think I need some time Joker." I said as steady as I could, not making eye contact, which I knew he did not like.

" Hey, look at me! And call me Mister J. Please, I insist." He said cheerfully, avoiding my request. He still held that sadistic grin on his face and I hated it there. Our chests were now touching, and I could see his eyes, filled with that same amusement from earlier. Whichever punishment that would be chosen, he would enjoy. A lot.

I nodded a reply to his question and waited for him to answer mine. Only, he never did. Instead, he traced shapes over my shoulders and back, all the while getting closer to the clasp of my bra.

" Mister J? Are we sure ether of those options are really necessary, I mean come on you cant be serious." My voice rose with panic, and his cracked white face seemed to be mocking me as a loud laugh escaped his butchered lips. I took that as a no, even though he began to speak.

" Of course it is my little snow white. How else would my little princess learn? You need to understand how this all works, on a grander scale. You're with _me _now, and uh, we cant burn this city to ashes if your always trying to runaway. There's already a desire in you to wreak havoc on this unforgiving city, but until I show it to you, your just gonna have to _ah_ obey me. You got that sweets?" he sad, his tone serious. The amusement that was previously glinting in his eyes was replaced by a fire. A burning fire ready to be let loose.

If only that fire wasn't about to be let loose on me.

" So." Mister J. said, sitting me more comfortable on his lap, " Which will it be? Hm? You don't have much time doll, or else ill just pick it myself, and im sure you have a pretty good idea on which one ill choose." He wagged his eyebrows suggestively, and I looked down, in deep thought.

I didn't know which to choose. Of course the first one was more detrimental, but it didn't show weakness. I wasn't loosing my dignity. The seoncd option, however, would leave me vulnerable, helpless. And my dignity would be washed away as fast as footsteps left on the edge of the beach, swallowed by the massive ocean.

But before I could voice my answer, he began humming to himself, slowly pulling off his purple glove. That was not good. My hand flew to his at lightning speed, keeping his glove on his hand. My eyes met his and I gulped involuntarily. I had made my decision.

" Mr. J, I know which one I want." I said, sure to accentuate each word to make sure he would understand. Which, he did.

He put the glove back onto his hand fully, and placed his hands on my shoulders, ready to hear what I had chosen, even though im sure he already knew. He seemed to know everything, and always had a trick up his sleeve.

" I think, well yes, I choose the first option." I said, and shut my eyes tightly, avoiding his smirking face.

The smirk that haunted me, even in my dreams. I would never fully be able to escape it, and maybe that was his point. Even if I was physically apart from him, I never would be, at least not in my mind. I would see him everywhere. The face of an angel who had fallen from grace, never fully regaining his sense, or finally finding it. Either way, I knew I would never forget. Maybe not even wanting to.

" Wonderful!" he said cheerfully, and I opened my eyes to see him placing the cool blade to my neck. The metal blade still had the red blood from Joe dried onto to it, and I couldn't help but pull away. Not succeeding very much seeing as his other hand held the back of my neck in a vice grip.

He put pressure on the blade, little by little, until there was a steady stream of blood flowing from it. I winced slightly but otherwise kept my composure. He wanted me to scream, I knew it, but I wouldn't. not if it would give him the satisfaction of a job well done.

I felt the warm liquid run down my body, leaving a crimson stain down to my stomach, and I waited for him to make his next move. It wouldn't be as simple as it was right now. No, not in the slightest.

The blade left my neck, and I looked up to him expectantly, waiting for the next place he would put the blade. My stomach? My chest? My lips?

But to my surprise, he picked me up off of his lap and pushed me onto the bed, with me on my back. I could feel the blood that was still pooled on the bed from earlier seep into my hair, and I shrieked in disgust. Thus, causing the Joker to laugh maniacally. By now he was straddling my waist and I had no control over my lover body, just what he wanted.

" Now, Time for the real punishment darling," he said darkly, and I screamed as the blade pressed through my abdomen. He had just stabbed me! But I knew my anatomy. Where he had stabbed, meant he had left all the major arteries unharmed, I just hoped I wouldn't bleed to death.

As the knife was stuck within my abdomen, the Joker twisted it around, causing an excruciatingly large amount of pain to shoot through my entire body. No matter how hard I tried to bite my tongue and keep the cry from escaping, I couldn't, and my shriek could be heard throughout the entire house.

Snickering to himself, the Joker pulled the knife out and licked the blood off of the cool blade. He smiled down at me and finished licking off the crimson liquid as if it were the most delectable thing in the world. As if it were the worlds finest rum, and he was the drunken alcoholic. His eyes were still full of that fire, and a cold chill went through me. I was terrified.

" Hmm. I bet your rethinking that decision right about now aren't ya darling?" He said to me, bringing the knife back down to my chest, letting it trace circles over them. But those didn't hurt much, they were slight pricks, nothing more.

For a moment I thought he had finished, but the Joker was never one for being predictable.

The knife had trailed down lower, towards my waist, and I felt it go deeper into my skin, making me yelp in pain. He liked that, oh, of course he did.

Every here and there he would give me deep gashes, and cuts all over my stomach, and I could no longer stand the pain. Tears began streaming down my face, but the cuts only got more painful. I was at the point of fainting from the pain when the cool touch of the blade was removed from my burning, bloodied skin.

" Now, isn't that just.. Beautiful," he whispered, looking down at my bloodied stomach, but all I could do was cry. How long had that lasted? Minutes, Hours? i didnt know for sure but the pain seemed to be getting worse. And he leaned down to whisper in my ear.

" Now, you know your _mine._" The Joker said huskily, planting a wet kiss against my dry lips before sliding himself off of me, and out the door.

There was a loud slam as the door shut, and a click as the lock was put in place. But that was the last thing entering my mind at that moment. I wanted, needed to get out of here. I had let myself think the Joker had any type of feeling, any type of emotion that wasn't anger or happiness at chaos. But I was wrong. Oh so wrong.

Where was Batman when you needed him?

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Im tired, so any mistakes made, i am apoligizng for in advance. I know, many of you were wishing for her to choose the other option, but that cant happen, Not just yet :p

Please Review my darlings, it will make me quite happy :]


	15. Pain, and the Seven Deadly Sins

_A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I just had Softball tryouts and now im on JV! Woot Woot lol so i might not update quite as often. Maybe once a week. But if you review it might be more often :]_

_Also, This chapter i think is a big eye opener for our Dear Annabelle here. You will FINALLY know ths big " Secret" she has been running from._

_Hope You enjoy :]_

_Diclaimer: DOnt Own the DC Comincs, only Annabelle Mathews :]_

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_Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It's not just a river in Egypt, it's a freakin' ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it?_

_- Grey's Anatomy_

Time seemed to stand still. Or speed up depending on how you looked at it, but for me it dragged on endlessly. Every breath, every move, was unimaginably slow. The pain, oh the pain, it was hard to bear. But I had to take it, one agonizingly slow breath at a time.

I hadn't moved from the blood soaked bed, not even to wipe away the smeared contents on my stomach. It was just too much, but I shut down, if only for a little while. The Joker wouldn't be back any time soon, or so I hoped, and I let myself drift. Drift back to times when I was at my worst, because it was the only thing that took the current pain away.

My eyelids fluttered closed, and I watched the scenes play themselves out before my very eyes.

It was a dark night, or early morning, now that I think about it, and there were very few passers by as I strolled down the street to my apartment. I had been living in New York City and I was surprised to see how few people walked the streets. Even though it was so late. I had been a bit tipsy and was skipping down the streets, singing softly to myself.

"Don't be a baby, Remember what you told me," I sang to myself, off key of course. And I continued, feeling on top of the world due to the alcohol."Shut up and put your money where your mouth is, That's what you get for waking up in Vegas." There were footsteps coming from behind me, but I was oblivious to them.

"Get up and shake the glitter off your clothes, now. That's what you get for waking up in Vegas." I finished my song, and sighed to myself. The wind whipped by me, the hair on my arms standing straight up. I had only been wearing a light green silk tank top that fit extremely well on my body along with a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. My average clubbing attire. But now that was beginning to feel like a bad idea as another gust of wind blew by me.

The footsteps coming from behind me had grown, and I sped up my pace in response.

But just like in every other horror movie you have ever seen before, this only made him walk faster. Of course this wasn't knew to me, but every time it happened, I couldn't help my heart from skipping a beat. And the strange thing was, I didn't know what it was from. Was it terror? Anticipation? Anger? Excitement?

Whatever it was, my heart never failed to react the way it did. And maybe, that was the point…

It felt as if the person following me was right on my heels and I, risk taker that I am, took a sharp right into an alleyway. Which was probably the worst decision of my life. I never like thinking about the next events. Never. They were too painful, too much to handle. So I usually tried to deny they ever happened. And never underestimate the power of Denial, it works wonders, but eventually, like all things, you have to come to terms with what has happened, what you've done.

I made it a few feet into the alley before I felt a strong pair of hands push me to the ground from behind. But I caught myself with my hands before my head slammed into the cold, hard, cement. I could feel a sharp sting go through my palms, but it was nothing I couldn't manage.

I turned myself over so that It looked like I was leaning casually against my hands, and I smiled up to him, my eyes dancing with something I myself didn't even know. There was a fire in them. One i hadnt seen since that day. And the man smiled right back.

He was a young thing, fairly decent looking. With average length dark brown hair, and blue eyes, he even had dimples. The way he walked towards me suggested he was slightly drunk, but also fully aware of what he was doing. Like he had done this before, but he still had such a childlike quality to him. His black button up shirt pressed against his skin tightly, even though he was in pretty good shape. And i could see him sitting in a school classroom, pencil in hand, ready to take an exam.

But what I really noticed was his smile, of all things. It was so happy, so innocent.

He had reached me by now, and was kneeling by my side. His outstretched hand pressed against my cheek, and I could feel the clamminess of it as he slowly brought it down to my neck. I hadn't acted yet, because I was slightly amused at his attempts. He was just a boy, no threat to someone like me. No, Not in the slightest.

As his hand found its place at my neck, I moved mine to his chest, and in one swift movement, I pushed him back as hard as I could. His back slammed into the brick wall of the alley, and he was momentarily dazed, allowing me to jump to my feet, ready for anything he could try. But, like I said, he was just a kid. And he wasn't looking for trouble.

Regaining himself, he stepped away from the wall, his hands up in surrender and backed towards the entrance. But I couldn't let him leave, we were just starting to have fun. I wasnt going to let him just run off and leave me without any entertainment.

And it wasn't until after that night that I realized how wrong of a person I was for thinking that.

As he began to exit, I flew forward and grabbed onto his arm, pulling him farther into the dank alleyway. Away from the civilized world of rules and regulations. Away from any disruptions. Away from the light.

A dozen emotions flashed across his face before he settled on one I was very familiar with. It was one I had seen on countless of men's faces. Every time I gave them the slightest inclination that I was interested. It was lust, and his face was full of it. I dragged him deeper into that alley until we made it far enough, that the entrance was barely visible behind all of the dumpsters and such.

But he surprised me by pushing me against the wall forcefully, practically throwing himself on top of me. And I felt the air blow out of me, it took me a moment to recover, but I did.

When I had gotten some much needed air into my lungs, I felt his wet lips slide up and down my neck, and I couldn't help but gag. It was disgusting, the way his lips smacked against my skin, and the way his hands were fondling my body in all the wrong ways. It needed to stop, and as my anger bubbled to the surface I knew nothing good would come of this night.

As his hands went lower and lower, tugging at the waist of my jeans, I placed my hands over his and yanked them away. He was surprised and opened his mouth to speak, obviously unaware of my intentions. This was not one I wanted him for. There were better men for that. Or at least there was more Rum for that.

" Babe, what's wrong. I thought we was havin a good time." He said, his words slightly slurred. His voice, though, was rather rough for his appearance. It sounded old, aged.

And I fired back hotly. " Well obviously, _Babe,_ you were wrong." my voice held a venomous tone and I knew my anger was taking over. I was no longer in control, and this anger, it was deadly.

In life we're taught that there are seven deadly sins. We all know the big ones... gluttony, pride, lust. But the thing you don't hear much about is anger. Maybe it's because we think anger is not that dangerous, that you can control it. My point is, maybe we don't give anger enough credit. Maybe it can be a lot more dangerous than we think. After all, when it comes to destructive behavior, it did make the top seven.

But in that moment, I couldn't think straight. I was only focused on the anger, the way it made me see things differently, and the way it made me feel. The way it turned my vision red and made me go temporarily mad. Temporarily being the operative word.

His face was scrunched in confusion as I pushed him against the opposite wall, where he fell onto a broken mirror. The glass breaking even more around him. And as the light hit it, tiny rainbows danced off of its surface. LIke a spectacular light show a midst the eery darkness.

By now he had given up completely, that look in his eyes, it just screamed defeat as he looked up to me expectantly. Waiting. I could now see the worn down look of his skin, and the wrinkles around his eyes signaling the hardships he had been through in his few years of life. But monster that I was, let that slip from my goal. And my goal was simple.

If one of us was going to die it would be the other guy, which in this case was him.

Kneeling down to eye level, I traced little shapes over the skin of his face, getting myself ready, as I picked up a piece of glass with my other hand. And strangely, it felt right there. The pointed scrap of glass felt like it belonged in the palm of my hand. Like that was its place. With that shard of broken glass I felt like I could do anything, be anything, I felt like I was on top of the world.

And as I plunged the broken glass into the base of his throat, that feeling only strengthened, making me feel invincible. Nothing, and nobody could stop me now. And of course, he struggled, but only at first. Because soon the blood loss was just to much for him, and he let go. His limbs growing limp, and that youthful look in his eyes fading away, until two black lifeless pits took its place.

As I stared down at his lifeless body, I couldn't keep that smile from forming on my lips. The smile of a murderer. Like I said, disappearances happen. Pains go phantom. Blood stops running and people, people fade away.

Then as quickly as the vision entered, it left, and my eyes flew open. The pain had gone, yes it had, but it left another pain that wouldn't be as forgiving. This pain would stay with me forever, and it would always haunt me. It would creep its way into my dreams, turning them into nightmares, and every time I closed my eyes, I would see his face. The face of the man I killed.

There's more he had to say, so much more, but... he disappeared.

But at the same time, I had to be thankful. I hadn't let this into my brain in a while. Afraid of what would happen. And yes it hurt. The hurt it left was agonizing, painful, and slow. It would be the death of me, and I knew it. One way or another, I would find myself slowly being eaten away by the guilt. Or by the desire to do it again.

Either way, I was screwed.

But pain is a part of life, both physical and emotional. And I just had to get through it. Each breath at a time. And no, I would never forget, and no it would never go away. It will always be a part of me, a chapter in my life I will never be able to erase, but for now I could sweep it under tomorrow's rug until I cant any longer. And that day shouldn't be any time soon.

I brushed my hands against the cuts at my stomach and winced at the sharp pain there. But I continued touching my sore stomach. The blood had almost stopped flowing, and had dried across my stomach, leaving shapes all over my skin. Swirls, and circles and triangles. It really was beautiful, if you gave it some thought. And the pain, maybe that just added to the effect.

Maybe we like the pain. Maybe we're wired that way. Because without it, I don't know; maybe we just wouldn't feel real. What's that saying? Why do I keep hitting myself with a hammer? Because it feels so good when I stop.

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Okay, Now. I need to know what you think. I know this chapter isnt that great, i mean NO JOKER! Come on eww lol.

Dont worry, he will show up next chapter. I just needed to finally let you guys know a part of her past.

Probably the Biggest oart of her past, so Tell me what you think.

Ill update faster if you reviewww. :]

So Review Love Bugs.


	16. Mister J

_A/N: Hey guyss! Heres the next chapter, so i hope you like it. Thank you to all that reviewed, and i hope you keep on reviewingg. This chapter didnt have as much JOker as i would have hoped, But next chapter definitely will. BTW after reading, if you have any suggestions on how next chapter should go with the Joker and Annabelle please let me know :]_

_Disclaimer: Only Own Annabelle :]_

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_Maybe we're not supposed to be happy. Maybe gratitude has nothing to do with joy. Maybe being grateful means recognizing what you have for what it is. Appreciating small victories. Admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe we're thankful for the familiar things we know. And maybe we're thankful for the things we'll never know. At the end of the day, the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is reason enough to celebrate._

_- Meredith Grey_

I was still lost in my daze.

Night soon turned to day, and I would never have known, if not for the fact that the light was blinding as it filtered in through the small window. But I was content with that, because right now, I could feel nothing but the pain. Even if it was only emotional pain.

How had my life turned out so awful?

I was born a high society socialite, and now, here I was, a murdering damsel in distress. I had fallen from grace, because I was sick of the view. And now I was drowning in the darkness that I had been searching for all along. The darkness that I thought would be welcoming, but I guess too much of a good thing can be bad. And I guess this was karma, coming back and pushing me down even farther. If I was drowning now, I would soon be suffocated, and in the end, the darkness would always win.

But the question still remained, if I was taken by the darkness, what would be the outcome?

I really didn't want to know the answer, or at least I wouldn't let myself know the answer. that's would just make matters worse. I thought I had hit rock bottom, but how was I sure? How do you know when you've hit rock bottom. I mean, you can always fall, even when there's nowhere left to go.

I guess I would have to call this an impasse. And I was trapped in it.

Feeling a sharp pain in my abdomen, I moved my head for the first time to see if any of the wounds had opened up again. Luckily, they hadn't. the pain was because of something else. It was pain from hunger.

I hadn't eaten anything since before I was taken, unless you count the bite of the apple, which I didn't even swallow. But I needed food, now. And I had to find a way to get some into my stomach.

Moving for the first time in what seemed like hours, I rolled myself off the bed and stood up. Stretching my arms and legs that were extremely stiff. And I glanced around the room, trying to find any place food could be stored. Unfortunately, there wasn't any, but I went through every drawer and shelf anyway.

When no food was found, I stepped into the bathroom, only to be let down again.

I was sure I was going to starve. The joker was angry, and wouldn't do anything to help me out. And why should he. If I were in his position and he in mine, I wouldn't bring food. I would let him suffer. And I soon realized it was that thinking that got me into this mess.

Displeased, I slumped onto the toilet, and just sat there until I caught something out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head to see the foreign object, I gasped. I was looking at a girl, who looked nearly dead. She had bruises and cuts covering every inch of her skin, and there was dried blood all over her. Her blonde hair was in tangles and parts of it were red from the blood she had been laying in.

She looked so much older than she was, only a shell of her former self. Her eyes were cold, dead. She had given up. And as I stepped closer to the mirror I couldn't help reaching out to it. Tracing my fingers over its surface. Trying to believe this was all real. Trying to believe that this girl, was me.

But it was. And I was horrified.

I had let myself end up like this, but I wouldn't stay like it. I wouldn't give up, not now anyway. So I ran to the shower, nearly tripping over my own feet, and turned it on. Making sure t was as hot as could be. I had to wash away everything.

Closing the bathroom door, I stripped and jumped into the steaming shower. The way the water hit me, wasn't as comforting as I had hoped but at least it helped a bit. As the water pelted my abdomen though, I couldn't help but let out a few cries because of the pain. The cuts hadn't healed yet, and the water caused them to sting in protest.

But soon I got used to the pain, and just let myself relax, as much as I could when being held captive by the Joker.

The blood was almost washed away from my body, but I still felt the need to scrub my skin until it turned red. Trying to scrub away everything. Not just the dried blood, but also the disgust I felt. The disgust that I knew would be difficult to wash away.

My skin felt raw by the time I finished scrubbing every inch of it. But it didn't hurt. It felt oddly comforting, and I felt much better. Maybe now I could start thinking straight.

I turned the shower off, and stepped out into the cold bathroom, suddenly remembering the fact that I had no towel or clothing. I almost screamed in anger when I spotted a neatly folded towel, along with a whole new outfit laid out on the floor. Someone had brought it for me while I was taking a shower.

But instead of feeling horrified, I felt relieved. At least I wouldn't be wandering around the room in nothing but my skivvies. Although, I did feel a little unnerved with the fact that I had not heard them enter.

Still feeling a little uncertain, I dried myself off with the towel, and changed into the clothes I was given. This outfit consisted of black leggings, with a green and purple plaid schoolgirl skirt, and a purple camisole. And even though I felt a little uncomfortable wearing such little clothing, I was thankful I wasn't stuck in nothing.

Taking one final look in the mirror, I opened the bathroom door. Shivering slightly as the cold air rushed by me. But when my eyes refocused, I almost screamed.

The Room looked transformed. The comforter was clean. Not a spec of blood in sight. There wasn't even any blood on the floor, which surprised me. Blood was almost impossible to get off, especially after it had dried. And Joe's dead body had been removed completely. The room looked good as new.

But what really shocked me was the fact that the Joker was sitting casually on the bed, watching me.

A smile spread across his lips as he got sight of me, and his giggles filled the previously silent room. I was frozen in place, waiting for the Joker to quiet down, and when he did he motioned for me to come closer. But I didn't know what to do.

I could follow his instructions, or I could take my chances, and my chances weren't looking very good at the moment. Not in the slightest. I still stood in my place at the door, and the Joker's smile slowly disappeared from his face. I knew this wasn't good, but I still couldn't get myself to move.

" Come here." He said to me. His tone serious and frightening. And I slowly walked over to him. Leaving a good two feet between us. But that wasn't going to work for him. Before I had even stopped walking, he grabbed a hold of my wrists and pulled me on to his lap.

Satisfied, he smiled, but when our eyes met, he turned serious.

" You really should uh listen to me. If you know what's good for ya." He said, smacking his lips together n the process. By the look on his face, and the tone of his voice, I knew he meant it. And remembering what happened last time I defied him, I knew I didn't want it to happen again. So I nodded, waiting for what was to happen next.

" Sooo. I believe you have ah something to say to me." He sang, laughing by the end of his sentence. And I was deeply confused. What did I have to say to him? I looked into his eyes, obviously confused, and watched as his eyes drifted down to my body then back up.

Oh, the Clothes. that's what he meant. He had given me clothes and this time I got to change into them myself.

" Thank You." I said softly, looking around the now clean room. The Joker was happy with my compliance, and he let his eyes wander over me again. This time though, there was a hungry look in his eyes.

" Hmm. Princess, next time say thank you Mister J. Sounds uh better. Makes me feel all tingly inside." He said, still letting his hungry eyes wander over my body, and I nodded. Not wanting to upset him when he seemed to be in an animalistic state.

He continued staring, and the silence lengthened. Soon, turning awkward, and I had to break it.

But I didn't quite know how. I mean, what was I supposed to say? Great weather we're having huh? No. but I had to say something, no matter how stupid it may sound. Maybe I could try saying a joke, but I knew none. A riddle? No, he didn't strike me as a riddle fan. Then what?

" How long have I been here?" I asked, my voice not shaking once. And I waited as his eyes traveled up to meet mine.

" Well, depends on what you mean ah. How long have you been in this room, or how long have you been a guest in my humble ah abode? Hmm?" He asked clearly amused. And, as always, I found no humor in it.

" In your house." I said irritated.

" Who's house?" he asked, even more amused than before.

" Yours. Who else's" I was growing more annoyed by the second, but this obviously had no effect on him.

" And who am I?" He was stiflng giggles, and I was ready to scream my head off in frustration.

" You're the bloody Joker. That's who you are." I nearly screamed, and her threw me off his lap, onto the bed, giggling like the mad man he was.

" Ah taa taa, princess. Don't call me that. I believe I have uh told you that before. I prefer Mister J, from you sweets." He said, letting out wild chuckles here and there. And it wasn't long before he threw himself on the bed too. Landing right next to me.

He was lying on his back, one arm behind his head, and one around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. And I could feel the tip of his knife at my throat.

" Now," He said, rolling onto his side so he could look at me. " What exactly was your uh question?" His voice was feigning innocence, and I gulped audibly.

" H-How long have I been in your house _Mister J."_ I said, letting the last words come out sarcastic. And I knew he wouldn't be too keen on my tone. The Joker let out a short cackle before rolling on top of me, squeezing the breath from my lungs.

" Look Annabelle. I'm not too keen on this little attitude of yours. So its simple. Unless you want to be _punished, _don't give me an attitude. Got. It." He said fiercely. His eyes were dark and cold. Just like they always seemed to be when he was mad. And I didn't like it. They seemed to scare me more than the man himself. After all the eyes are windows into the soul. And if the eyes are black, what do you think that's telling you?

He still held the blade at my throat, and I nodded as best I could. Letting him know I fully understood what he meant, and hopefully he would put the knife away. But he wasn't content with my response.

" Answer me." He growled, his breath raking over my ear. Making me cringe.

" I get it." I said desperately, wanting him to take the knife away.

" Hmm What was that? Who is it your speaking to again?" he said, a mocking tone to his rough voice.

" I get it Mister J." This time, I made sure my voice was free from any form of attitude what so ever. And he was pleased, for he removed the knife from my skin, depositing it back into his jacket pocket.

" That's better. Now since you've been ever so kind, I will answer your little question." He said sliding himself off of me, but still holding me dangerously close.

" You've been here a-prox-I-mate-ly three days. And uh don't worry. Im not sick of ya yet sweets." He said, giving me a sadistic grin as he wagged his eyebrows suggestively. I wanted to look away, but he might find that offensive, and suddenly remembering my sore stomach, I didn't want to have to deal with any reproductions from my actions. No matter how small.

The Joker opened his mouth to speak but was cut off my knocking at the door.

" Aghh. What is it!" He yelled over to the door, obviously angry. And the voice on the other side sounded small and scared in comparison.

" Boss, aint it time to leave soon? The boys and I was just wonderin." the man said, and I knew how terrified he must have felt, especially seeing the look on the Joker's face. He was furious. But instead of showing it, he responded sweetly.

" Just a minute." he turned his head towards me and grinned devilishly.

" Looks like I cant have all the uh _fun _I would have liked. Oh well, we still have all night." He said flirtatiously, and I stared at him in shock. Did he really mean what thought he meant? Of course he did, he was the Joker after all.

But before I could say a word, I felt his scarred lips press against mine. This kiss wasnt as intense as our previous one, and didnt last as long, but i still felt a passion run though me as our lips parted. But, he was in a hurry and we couldnt let it get too out of hand. At least this time, i still had my shirt on.

The Joker pulled away and bounced to the door, fiddling with some keys before opening it to leave. But before he left, he gave me one final look and said. " And by the way, I _like _your outfit. I like it quite a lot. Very fitting, and scrumptious." His voice was filled with lust, and other dirty emotions.

And then he was gone.

I watched the door for a few minuted before a familiar pain began to make itslef known in my stomach. I was hungry, and I should have said something to the Joker before he had gone. But of course, i hadnt.

As the hunger intensified, i looked around the room, trying todistract myself from the pain, i noticed an unopened box of poptarts on the dressor, ready to be eaten. ANd who was I to resist?

Nearly knocking over the dressor, i grabbed the poptarts and started to devour them. had made it through two packets before i suddenly realized i might not get any more food for a while. I would have to make these last. I mean, the Joker could be gone for a while. Reluctantly putting down t poptarts, I walked over to the bed, Suddenly tired.

As i fell onto the soft mattress i fixed my gaze onto the ceiling, awaiting the night that would soon come.

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There you have it folks! lol I got a bunch of reviews so i updated fast. SEE! it really does work. SO review and you'll get a hot steamy session with the Joker next chapter!

Reviewwww


	17. Sanity or Insanity, Im not too sure

_A/N : Here's the next chapter! ANd i think its pretty good, also i added some original dialogue from the comics, lets see if you can find it! hahaha and, i even added some hottt fun lol. But there is a tiny bit of blood in this chapter, just so you know. Now you can read! Good luck and Revieww_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but dear old Annabelle and this wonderful plot ( at least i think its wonderful)_

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_As you might have guessed, Upper East Siders, prohibition never stood a chance against exhibition. It's human nature to be free, and no matter how long you try to be good, you can't keep a bad girl down_

_- Gossip Girl_

Again, I was left alone to face the father of all my hardships. Time.

No matter how hard you try to cheat it, it will always work against you. Either never moving, or moving at an alarmingly fast pace, crushing any further hopes you may have. And that it was.

The seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours, and I was powerless to stop it. No matter what I did, or how I tried to distract myself, I was left with the same thoughts that kept finding themselves crawl back into my mind. The same thoughts I had so desperately tried to keep from my head since the Joker had exited the room hours ago.

What it was the Joker had in store for me.

And whatever it was, I knew it wouldn't be good. Although, I knew deep down, some part of me would like it. Whatever it was. Because there was a part of me, no matter how much I hated to admit it, that was just like him. There was a part of me that was cruel, crazy, _evil._ Just like him.

And as I sat cross legged on the bed, staring at the menacing door in front of me, I wondered if he knew this all along. Or better yet, if I had known this all along.

No, I couldn't have known this. How could I have? But if I hadn't, how could he?

He was good at reading people, and he had read me. He saw something in me, that reminded him of himself, something that screamed to be let free. And he was doing just that.

Ever since I had been brought here, I had been reminiscing on old memories, that had long been stored away in a box. A box that I had locked away and thrown into the deep oceans of my mind, never to be seen again. But even now, in the city I thought would save me, I was slowly losing myself.

Before now, I had very seldom thought like this. I wouldn't have been so eager to throw it all away, to let my walls down and just be. And no, I didn't want to lose this fight, but why fight the inevitable? The inevitable that I was so eager to let consume me. Maybe the answer to my question was simple.

If I let the darkness take me, then maybe I would just be left with more opportunities. More opportunities to be great, evil, but great. And maybe, that's not a bad thing after all. I mean, the Joker got by, why couldn't I?

Maybe the darkness isn't dark at all. What if its just a mirage, a trick, to keep the wrong people put. Because unless your willing to except the darkness, maybe your not supposed to be happy.

If you cant let yourself fall, how can you learn to pick yourself back up?

I had fallen, and I fell hard. But I pieced my life back together as best as I could. There were obvious gaps, where I couldn't quite match everything up anymore, because I was just too different. I had changed. That man had changed me, and they say when you kill someone, you not only take what they are, but everything they every could have been. And because of that, my life couldn't be fully complete. It was those gaps, those little holes in my life that had led me here.

They had led me to this brink of sanity, or insanity, I didn't exactly know which yet.

Everyone has a shadow. And the only way to get rid of a shadow, is to turn off the light. To stop running from the darkness, and face what you fear. Head on. But I didn't know if I was ready for this yet. Could I really just remove myself from reality itself? Could I make up my own set of rules and break the ones I had set up now? I wasn't sure, but I had the feeling that once I got out of here, and I would get out of here, I would be able to think logically again.

And I think it's the fact that I know all this thinking is crazy, that is keeping me sane. Which is why I just have to wait it out, I cant let myself go, because by then all hope would be lost. If I let myself get consumed by the looming darkness, I wouldn't be able to go back. Like a drunk to a bottle of beer, I just wouldn't be able to stay away.

And I knew what I was talking about, I had felt this once before. I still wonder what It would be like to be the cause of another persons demise, to be the last thing they see before they close their eyes permanently. That feeling, gives me unnerving happiness, and a sickness in my stomach at the same time.

Which is why I tend to shy away from the subject all together. But when your stuck in a room, with nothing but yourself and the fear of what's to come, its hard not to think back on your life, and how you spent it.

If I were to die today, would I be happy with the life I had lived?

The answer was plain and simple, no.

* * * * *

The streets were unusually quiet, the only sounds were of the small animals scurrying across the pavement, looking for food. And as I strolled along the streets of my beloved Gotham, I couldn't help but laugh.

All the so called, criminals, were off the streets, they were afraid. Batman was out tonight, and they were afraid of him! A man who dresses up like a giant bat! I mean come on, does that not seem a little crazy.

As I walked down the millionth alleyway of the night, I was pleasantly surprised. There, standing all omnisciently was the great bat himself. And that put an even bigger smile on my face. Now, all I had to do was see where the night would take me.

I had asked batsy to meet me, and he actually followed through.

" Hello, there batsy. Be-aut-if-ul uh night we have here hmm?" I said, taunting him just a bit. It was always so funny to see his reactions to just my words alone. It always put a smile on my face.

" Where is she, Joker." He said in his usually gruff voice. No hint of amusement, which always seemed to surprise me. How could someone who dressed himself up as a bat, not find some sort of amusement in life?

" Who?" I said simply, giggling. And by the way he seemed to growl, I knew I was pressing his buttons.

" You know who Joker. Annabelle. Where's Annabelle?" He took a step closer to me, as did I. Freaking him out just a little.

I put on an expression, seemingly to be deep in thought, as I answered, barely being able to hold back laughter.

" Who? Ohh, you mean the cute blonde! Yeah I know where she is, but im not gonna tell you silly. That would ruin all the fun!" Batman didn't like this, and he lunged at me, throwing me up against the brick alley wall. My head getting hit pretty hard, but I kept the smile on my face the whole time. Batsy pulled his arms back, and hit me hard in the face, and I fell to the ground, laughing so hard I could have cried.

" Batsy, Batsy, Batsy, you really have a tad bit of anger management, maybe you should get that checked out, He He." I said, coughing up some blood, but to my surprise, batman backed away from me. Closing his eyes in surrender?

"I came to talk. I've been thinking lately. About you and me. About what's going to happen to us in the end. We're going to kill each other, aren't we? Perhaps you'll kill me. Perhaps I'll kill you. Perhaps sooner. Perhaps later" He said, clearly upset, and as I sat up, my back against the wall, I couldn't help but giggle at his train of though. But before I could say anything, he continued, his rough voice, sounding almost exhausted, as if he was ready to give up.

"Don't you understand? I don't want to hurt you. I don't want either of us to end up killing the other. But we're both running out of alternatives, and we both know it. Maybe it all hinges on tonight. Maybe this is our last chance to sort this whole bloody mess out. If you don't take it, then we're both locked onto a suicide course. Both of us. To the death. It doesn't have to end like that. I don't know what it was that bent your life out of shape, but who knows? Maybe I've been there too. Maybe I can help. We could work together. I could rehabilitate you. You needn't be out there on the edge anymore. You needn't be alone. We don't have to kill each other. What do you say?"

He seemed stupidly hopeful, as if I was a lost man, needing to be found. As if I wanted his help or anyone else's for that matter. And his compromise made me burst into hysterics.

"You, you think it all breaks down into symbolism and structures and hints and _clues_. No, Batman, that's just Wikipedia. You actually believed all it would take is a few people thinking you were a killer, a couple of days of drug-induced isolation and a cheap little nervous breakdown and you'd have _me_ all figured out? Like there was some rabbit hole you could follow me down to _understanding_? No Batsy. Sorry, but I don't really, uh, think I can accept your little proposition." I said, full of amusement.

" But thanks for the offer anyways." I said, trying to get back to my feet, but I was stopped. Batman had picked me up, and thrown me against the wall yet again. Only this time I fell onto a rather large piece of broken glass, which pierced through my stomach.

I saw the blood before I felt the pain, but I didn't stop my laughter, this whole situation was just too funny!

I got up to my feet, still laughing, and watched as Batman began to take his leave, but not before I could tell him one last little thing.

" Annabelle's _mine _now. Don't forget that Batsy." And with that he was gone, leaving me alone in the alley, crying tears of unbelievable amusement.

* * * * *

Time passed, and what I feared would arrive, finally did.

I had been lying on the edge of the bed, with half my body on it, and the other half dangling. I could feel the blood rushing to my head, where a light throbbing pain soon developed, but I stayed there. Watching the specks of dust fly through the air, but once the sun went down, the dust became invisible.

By now, the moon had been up for who knows how long, and my nerves had grown ten fold. Not because I was scared, but because I wasn't sure of what tonight would bring. I'm not a big fan of surprises, of not knowing what would happen, and these uncalled for events always found their way to me.

The pounding in my head had grown, and I could hear it against my ears, drowning out any other noises around me. My head felt like it weighed fifty pounds, and I soon grew tired. My eyelids began to droop out of exhaustion but before they closed completely, the door was thrown open, and slammed loudly against the wall, almost putting a hole through it.

I bolted upright on the bed and stared, mouth open, at the man in the doorway. It was the Joker.

His makeup was smeared, and there was blood on his coat, but I wasn't sure who's it was. But if it was his, he didn't show it. He had his signature grin placed on his face, and he looked greatly amused. The Joker even had his arms open wide as he stepped into the room.

" Honey I'm Home!" He almost screamed, but his voice held no anger, he sounded excited, happy.

Kicking the door closed, he sauntered closer to the bed, closer to me, and as he threw off his jacket, I saw the wound that was bleeding profusely on his lower abdomen. Seeing this I gasped.

" What happened to you?" I said, concerned. I got up from the bed and walked towards him, wanting to help anyway I could. The wound, was covered, but the blood was pouring out rather fast, he needed medical attention.

" It was nothing princess. Just had a little visit with an old uh friend." He said, slightly out of breath. This was definitely painful, but he refused to show it. And that wasn't a good sign.

But as I tried to get a closer look at the wound, I was pulled into his tight embrace, my arms pinned to my sides by his. The Joker was looking down at me, a similar animalistic gleam in his eyes, and he didn't say a word. Instead, he leaned down, pressing his lips to mine, unnaturally softly. Much different then his usual rough way of handling me.

His hands slid up my arms, and found there way to the sides of my face, pulling my closer. And I moved my arms to around his neck. Wrapping them around his neck, and letting my hands settle themselves into his curly green hair. And, they felt right there.

The kiss got more intense, our lips parting, and his tongue entering my mouth. Both our tongues worked together magically, and I couldn't stop the moan that escaped my lips.

He smiled into the kiss and picked me up, so I had my legs wrapped around him, and he brought us over to the bed.

As we made it to the bed, he placed me down gently and pushed me towards the middle.

Our lips never left each others, as he placed himself on top of me, moving his hands all over my body. My hands made there way to his chest as I began to unbutton his vest, and once that was off, I threw it on the floor, where it landed almost inaudibly. And as he began pulling off my shirt, a chill ran through me. A chill that was trying to tell me something. But I didn't listen, I couldn't, not when everything I wanted at the moment was in arms reach.

My shirt was off in seconds and our lips met each other once again. But soon, his lips left mine and began traveling downward. He began kissing me cheek, then my neck, then my chest, and all the was down to my stomach. And it felt so good. He got closer and closer to the waist of my skirt, and I had been working on the buttons of his shirt.

The Joker had begun tugging at the hem of my skirt, as I fully unbuttoned his shirt, getting a good look at the nasty cut etched into his stomach, along with a numerous amount of other scars and bruises. But at the moment, I was stuck staring at the newest bleeding gash on his stomach, which still hadn't stopped gushing blood.

The blood began to fall onto my stomach, and I pushed him off, moving into a sitting position, and the Joker looked angered by my resistance.

" Mister J, What _happened _to you?"

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There you go. I really hope everyone likes how this story id goin, and if you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to ask me. I love reviews and the more the merrier i always sayyy.

SO review and i will be veryy happy :]


	18. Slow Burn

_A/N: Hey sorry for the delay, i just had a hard time strarting this chapter, so it kinda starts out kinda rough but i needed to get this one out before my trip. Im leaving thursday on a school trip until sunday so i might not get another chapter out for a little over a week. But if i get enough reviews by Wednesday, ill get another chapter up sooner :]  
This chapter contains a bit if blood, so if you dont like that there might be a couple scenes you dont like... other than that Review please._

_Disclaimer: I dont own Batman or the Joker, Just Annabelle's :]_

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_Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves._

_ - 1984_

I still had my eyes on the ghastly wound protruding from his stomach, it was twisted into a curve, with ragged edges. And the cut was deep, the blood spilling out endlessly.

I couldn't look away, no matter how hard I tried forcing myself to do so, my eyes never wandered far from his stomach.

" Its nothing." He said to me, and his lie sounded so convincing, if I had not been staring at the cut myself, I would have believed him. But I knew he was lying, and I wouldn't let this go. I shifted on the bed, getting closer to him, trying to help, but he jumped off the bed away from me.

He was glaring daggers at me as he paced back and forth across the room, and I just stared after him concerned.

" Don't lie to me Joker. Something clearly happened to you, I'm not a complete idiot. I have eyes, I can see the cut you have on your stomach." I said, my voice getting louder as I continued. This was angering me slightly, but I tried my best not to get too angry, tried not to get too out of control.

Before I knew what happened, the Joker's hand disappeared into his pocket and reappeared as fast as lightening, then he flung the small sharp edged knife towards me. But with my fast reflexes, I dodged the knife just in the knick of time, breathing loudly out of surprise.

" Don't call me that." He nearly growled, and I just stayed silent, trying to slow my rapid breathing. He began pacing again, moving his hands toward the bleeding scrape on his abdomen.

" And its just a flesh wound." he mumbled almost incoherently, as his eyes wandered towards the cut. And I stared at him incredulously, the wound he had suffered was definitely not just a simple flesh wound, but I was done trying to care. He didn't want my help and I wasn't going to push it. And I really didn't care, at least a part of me didn't.

" Fine," I grumbled. Moving towards the wall behind the bed where the knife had found itself embedded. I grabbed the knife, and pulled it from the wall. And began inspecting it.

It was small, with a dull side, and a sharpened side, almost like a kitchen knife, but the handle was intricately detailed. It was a deep purple, with black designs covering it, and it looked like it was done by a professional. He probably had these specially made for his arsenal of weapons.

The Joker kept on his pacing, though he seemed to be having difficulties with keeping up the speed he had been walking at before, and his breathing was a bit heavier.

The room was silent for a few minutes. The only sound coming from the Joker's feet as he paced around the room, and his deep breathing, thinking about something unknown to me. And I sat on the bed, holding my legs against me with the knife firmly within my hands. We were both still shirtless, and we seemed to realize this at the same time.

I moved from my position on the bed, and leaned over the edge of the mattress to grab my shirt, at the same time that the Joker had halted his pacing to do the same.

We reached over to where my shirt, and his vest lay, and our hands touched. At the feeling, we both looked up, meeting each others gaze. His eyes, for once, looked glazed over, with a hint of anger in them, and the brown color they usually held, seemed to disappear. Leaving only blackness behind.

He was sweating slightly, and the paint on his face had smudged. Making him look more sinister than ever, at least in the time that I had been in his presence. His smile was gone, leaving just a grim line running across his painted face.

" Take a picture, it'll uh last longer," He said tonelessly, still staring me down. And in that moment, he looked lifeless, dead.

I had to look away, so I grabbed my shirt and straightened myself out on the bed, pulling the camisole over my head. I couldn't stand the scrutiny his eyes held. And when I let my self sneak a peak in his direction, I saw he was still staring at me. Still holding the same stance, his eyes piercing through me, making me uncomfortable.

Again, I looked away, bothered by his icy stare." Take your own advice." I mumbled.

"Mmm, What was that darling?" he said, smiling deviously, as he picked up his vest. He inclined his head towards me as he eyed me, his eyes looking different then they had moments before.

" Nothing." I said with a shake of my head, tracing patterns on the comforter underneath me. Keeping my eyes away from his. But I could still see him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him slide the vest on over his unbuttoned shirt, but he didn't bother buttoning either of them. Instead, he stepped closer to the bed, and grabbed my arm roughly, yanking me onto the floor where I fell on my face, barely catching myself with the one free hand I had.

The knife I had been holding fell onto the carpet and landed too far for me to reach, and it ended up in the Joker's grasp.

" I almost forgot about that." He said to himself as he picked up his blade from the floor, along with his signature purple jacket, blood stain and all.

But before I could say anything, or even try to get myself up, I felt my arm being pulled in the direction of the door, where the rest of me soon followed.

The Joker was pulling hard on my arm, and at any second I was afraid it would snap off. Looking up to him I screamed, letting out all the anger and frustration I had been reigning in.

" Oww! Let go of me you stupid crazy psychotic fuck!" I yelled loudly, pulling with all my might to free my arm from his grip, and with a growl, he did just that.

I fell to the floor, and grabbed my shoulder, which throbbed in pain, any more of that an my arm would disconnect itself from the rest of my body. But I couldn't sooth my arm for long.

The Joker kneeled down to look me in the eyes, and ended up grabbing my chin roughly, forcing me to look at him.

"I'm not uh _crazy. _And You'd do good to remember that. Cause one of these days, my knife might just slip into that pretty little neck of yours. Keep that in mind toots. You think my yanking on your arm like _that _hurt, well then your in store for one rude awakening." His face was inches from mine, and his voice was filled with anger and irritation.

"Now," He said, that smug smile plastered across his face, as he pulled me into an upright position. " We are gonna go get this little scrape checked out by one of my guys. Your probably right about this little thing causing me some future problems if I don't get it uh fixed. So that's what I'm gonna do. Your coming cause I fig-ured you were a bored with being stuck in that little room of yours." He finished, patting my cheek softly.

His eyes were dark, but held some amusement, and his Cheshire grin was placed on his face again. Although it seemed a little strained, almost pained.

"Let's" I said simply, returning his gaze easily, and he started giggly insanely to himself as we walked out the door and down the hall. Halfway down the hall I could hear the mumblings of the men, along with the baseline of a song that was playing, and I could smell the alcohol in the air, making me cringe.

Then, out of nowhere, the joker put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer, and whispered. " What's wrong Annabelle darling? Nervous are we? Hmm? Don't uh worry babe. None of my guys will even think of placing a hand on you, or else they will be _answering _to me." he said. His breath hot on my ear, and the sound of his lips smacking against each other echoing throughout my whole body.

" I'm not worried about your guys Mr. J. That's not the problem." I said, paranoia seeping in as we stepped closer to the room at the end of the hall.

The Joker's expression scrunched together in confusion, then answered, a smile on his face, and a giggle in his voice.

" Then what's the uh _problem _princess?"

We were getting closer to our destination, and the smell of alcohol overwhelmed me, seeping into every crevice of my mind. Every fiber of my being longed for that alcohol. How it tasted, how it made me feel, how it made everything around me slowly slip away.

" I-I don't want to talk about it." I said, and as I said it I felt a bead of sweat form on the back of my neck. I was nervous about what would happen. Nervous of how I would react. I didn't want to tell the Joker. I didn't want him to know something he could hold over my head, didn't want him to have leverage.

He seemed to know things about me, things nobody knew, and he didn't even know me. And with that information, he got to me. If he knew more, there's no telling in how he would use it against me.

" Hmm. Keeping secrets I seee. Come on, I wont tell anybody, it'll be our uh **little **secret." There was something playing in his voice, something hidden behind the curiosity. There was more he wasn't letting on.

" It's nothing. Just drop it, please. Just let it go, I'm fine." I said desperately, wishing he would just let the subject go. If I didn't have to talk about it, maybe I could resist, maybe I could get the thought out of my head, maybe this maybe that. There were too many maybes and if only's floating around in my head.

The Joker was silent for a moment, and the mumbling had grown louder, along with the music. The smell still wafted into my nose, and I fought like hell to stop thinking about the delicious liquid sliding down my throat, and the satisfaction it would bring.

I was too caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed what exactly the Joker had been up to this whole time.

But when I felt him stop suddenly, grabbing my wrists, I knew something wasn't right. His hand was grasping another knife and with his other arm he pushed me up against the wall. My thoughts were in a daze, and I couldn't think straight, but that didn't stop the Joker.

He moved closer to me, pressing his body against mine, but not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to stop me from getting away easily. And he placed his knife against my lips. The cool blade felt like a feather against my skin, tickling even.

" Tell me Annabelle. Or I might just get a little uh aggressive." He growled, but there was still a hint of humor glinting in his eyes. He was having fun with this. He wanted to make me feel uncomfortable.

" No." I said, not giving in. And he began to apply more pressure to the knife, producing a small cut to form on the edge of my mouth. It was small, but painful.

" What was that?" he said, after seeing my squeeze my eyes closed in pain.

"No. I cant." I said, and I could taste the blood as it entered my mouth. This time he pressed even harder, and the cut had to be a good inch long at the side of my mouth.

" Tell Me." He growled fiercely, angry at my noncompliance. But I refused to give in. this was just one of those things I couldn't let people know. How could I tell him that I had been an alcoholic, and being here, right now, was making me anxious? Making me lose control. He would love that. He would love to see me at my most vulnerable state.

So instead of answering him, I shook my head, and he lost his patience.

The Joker took hold of my hair, grabbing it in fistfuls, and threw me onto the ground. Mumbling something to himself, he put the knife back into his pocket, and looked down at me, his head cocked to the side.

" Your one strange little girl aren't you sweets." he said, giggling madly. And i wanted so badly to snap his neck.

" I'm not," I said through gags as the blood got into my mouth. " a little girl." I was on my back, holding myself up on my elbows, and his grin grew ten fold.

" Right you are doll face. Right you are." He looked down at me, his eyes hungry, and as he licked his lips, I wondered what the hell caused all these mood swings. He was watching me closely, and when I started to get up I received a sharp kick to the stomach.

" Ah taa taa. Not so fast, I still want to know what seems to be uh troubling you. And if you wont tell me **willingly. **Then ill just have to _make _you." He said, kicking me again, and I screamed in pain, which resulted in another kick, and then another, and then another. He kept on kicking me until I began to sob in agony. The cuts that had been made on my stomach had opened, and the blood was spilling out, soaking my shirt along with the carpeted floor.

Once the Joker had finished his rampage, I couldn't stop my cries. The pain overtook me again, and I couldn't move. My stomach was sore, bruises had formed, and the blood seeped out of the cuts that reopened.

" Now, what was bothering you sweets. I'm _dying _to know." He giggled, kneeling down next to me, removing a piece of hair from my face to behind my ear. And I tried to shake it away, but my sobs of pain wouldn't let me. I could, however, speak. And I wanted to tell him everything. I wanted to let out everything I had been holding back. **Everything.**

I felt that if I got it all off my chest, that I would feel better. That maybe the pain would go away. But I needed someone else who understood what I meant when I talked about this. When I talked about my problems. I had tried talking to Bruce, but nothing like this really affected him. His parents were killed, yes, but nothing like my past. The Joker would understand, we were one in the same.

And it was in that moment, that second, that I decided to tell him everything.

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Thank you everyone for reading, and i hoped you liked it even thoug this chapter did kinda suck. I know its not great cause right now im etremely low on sleep and i just wanted to give you guys another chapter to read. PLease review and tell me what you think, if i get alot you'll have another chapter up asap.  
Love to you all :]  
REVIEWWW


	19. Shattered Glass

_A/N: Hello! i really like this chapter :] so i hope you do too. i wrote ths so unbeliebaly quick cause ideas just kept coming. AN dplease i would be very greatful if you would review my story. I want to reach 60!!! so Please review and ll be a very happy personnn._

_Disclaimer: Im sorry but i only own Annabelle Mathewss_

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_Got a secret, can you keep it,_

_Swear this one you'll save,_

_Better lock it in your pocket,_

_Taking his one to the grave._

_If I show you then I'll know _

_You wont tell what I said,_

_Cause two can keep a secret_

_If one of them is dead._

_-The Pierces_

No matter how hard we try to ignore or deny it, eventually the lies fall away, whether we like it or not. But here's the truth about the truth: It hurts. So we lie. But I was done lying.

I had been hiding away from my past, lying to everyone, but now I was done. I up and left my family years ago, keeping contact with only two members of my past. Rachael Dawes and Bruce Wayne. They were the only two who knew about my life since I had turned 16 and beyond, and only one was left.

Bruce knew about the horrors of my past, the skeletons in my closet, but he didn't understand, he never could.

The Joker could. He was damaged, just like me. We're all damaged, it seems. Some of us more than others. We carry the damage with us from childhood, then as grown-ups, we give as good as we get. Ultimately, we all do damage. And then, we set about the business of fixing whatever we can.

But I was too far gone to go about fixing what I had done. All I could do now was come to terms, and pour my heart out in a mushy show of emotion. Telling him everything, and hoping, wishing he would understand.

" Do you really want to know." I whispered between breaths, still lying helplessly on the floor. I diverted my eyes from his, not wanting to feel his scrutinizing gaze and I heard him sigh dramatically.

" What do you think all this was for sweets? You think I was just in the mood to beat the shit out of you? Well yes I uh was but that's not reall-y the poin**t**. I want to know. _Now_." He giggled, his voice turning dark.

After a few moments of silence I managed to meet his gaze, his eyes held nothing but curiosity, and his expression seemed to soften, but maybe my eyes were just playing games with me. It wouldn't be the first time.

" Wellll. I'm waiting?" He said, tilting his head to the side as he stared down at me. His arms moved around in a sweeping motion gesturing for me to go on, but I didn't know where to begin. There were so many things I could say, so many things I wanted to tell him.

" I don't know where to begin." I said, my tears finally subsiding, but the pain in my stomach didn't lessen.

His smile grew and he leaned down, grabbing a fistful of hair and pulling me up to eye level. I grabbed my scalp, trying to stop the searing pain but once I was standing, the Joker let go. He grabbed my elbow roughly, pulling me the rest of the way into the brightly lit room at the end of the hall. The smell of alcohol still stinging my nose.

We reached a table in the far right hand corner of the room, and he shoved me into a wooden chair, almost tipping it over.

" You can start from the beginning. That always works for most people." he stated, a smile in his voice but he was looking around the room, his eyes falling on the couch full of goon.

There were seven of them sprawled out on the two couches, watching the large T.V screen where a sports game was playing. The men were murmuring quietly to themselves, and drinking. Empty beer bottles and food wrappers littered the floor, and nobody seemed to mind. Not even the Joker.

The room was a good size, and held two couches along with a pool table and the table we were sitting at. When the Joker locked eyes with one of his men, the goon immediately got up and made his way over to us.

The man was short and lanky, with white spiked hair and glasses. His nose was pointed and curved down slightly and his eyes were a dull gray color. On his legs he wore dark blue faded baggy jeans, and he also wore a tight flannel t-shirt.

" Boss." he said and nodded, his voice lower than I would have expected. The Joker nodded back and turned toward me, a strained smile on his face.

" This is Dane, Dane this is Annabelle." He said moving hands from me to Dane and Dane to me, introducing us. I moved my eyes to him and smiled, receiving a nod in return.

" He's gonna fix me up so I'm in tip-top shape. Aren't ya." Joker said to me, looking towards Dane out of the corner of his eyes. " That I will." Dane said, grabbing a medical bag from under the table and taking out some utensils.

The Joker began sliding out of his jacket, and unbuttoning his vest. He had them off in seconds and began working on his blue checkered shirt. As his skin started to show, I looked away towards Dane who had pulled up a chair and was rolling up his sleeves, a wet cloth in his hands.

A gust of wind blew by me, hitting me with a wave of beer saturated air, and I closed my eyes trying to shake away the urge to get up and grab a bottle.

"I'm ready for uh story time now. But save the gushy prince in shining whatever riding on a white horse to save the damsel in distress. He he. _That _has been sooo overplayed." He whispered into my ear, tickling the back of my neck. He had grabbed a chair and placed it right next to mine, his shirt was off and when I looked at him I had to stifle a gasp.

His chest was even better in the light, I could see everything so clearly. He was very well sculpted, and had an impressive six pack. Other than the cuts and bruising covering his torso, he was perfect.

" Um. Alright." I said shakily, looking up into his eyes and I watched as his famous grin found its way onto his painted face. Dane came over and gave Joker the cloth to wipe away the dried blood, and the blood that was still spilling out, and I took in an unsteady breath.

The Joker saw me begin and squeezed my thigh, giving me the go ahead to continue.

Nerves creeped themselves inside of me, and I shook them away, my breath quickening. I had to go through with it now, I wanted to tell him, I needed to tell him. What's they saying? The truth shall set you free. I really hoped that wasn't a lie.

I looked up to the Joker one more time before turning my head and beginning.

" I'm not your average girl, to say the least." I began not letting my eyes settle on one thing for too long.

" I knew that already doll." he said chuckling, but his eyes looked confused. He wouldn't be expecting this. I turned back to him, but didn't look directly into his eyes, instead I settled my eyes on his blood red lips.

" I guess I was born normal, like most people. I had a mother and a father, and even a little baby brother. We lived on the outskirts of town, up by Wayne Manor. I had been Friends with Bruce, that's why I was at his party before." I explained to him, still not looking into his eyes.

" Things were great. I went to a great school and had the nicest things, even though our family wasn't the Elite of society. We were friends with the Wayne's so we might as well have been royalty according to this town. It seemed like things couldn't get any better." I saw the Joker lick his lips, and stopped for a moment, rethinking my decision. But I knew I had to finish.

" Then Bruce's parents died, and things took a turn for the worst. Bruce was always distraught, locking himself away in his house. And my parents started to move on. They started to forget about how great Bruce's parents had been. There only worry was securing there spot as Gotham's finest. And I didn't like it. Not at all." I stopped, taking a deep breath. I was getting to the part of my life story that hated to think about.

The joker cringed slightly, and I looked at him, then followed his gaze down to his stomach where Dane was stitching him up.

" Weeks went by, followed by years and I wasn't happy. My best friend wasn't the same, he was something else and my parents were totally different people. So I took my life into my own hands. I packed a bag, took my money, and left. I was sixteen, and on my own… You know," I said, smiling sadly up to him.

" What's that darling." he said, his voice cracking roughly.

" I've never been back. Not. Once. But I don't feel bad about it. I always think how bad of a person I must be for not caring, but why should I. They obviously didn't try hard to find me, so why should I keep in touch with them?" as I said this a few silent tears slid down my cheeks, but I shook them away with a dry laugh.

I looked down at my hands, then back up to him. " Anyway, back to the story." I said and the Joker giggled happily.

" Where was I…oh yeah. I left, and did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to. I had enough money to last me years without a needed job, so I partied. I had fun, got into fights, drank, I even did some drugs. life was good… the first year. But soon karma caught up with me. Life started to get a little harder, and so I drank more, blazed up, got into more fights, but that made things worse." My voice turned acidic the more I continued, but I couldn't stop.

" Before I knew it, my life had revolved around three things: Booze, drugs, and sex. And granted, I was only 18. I was an addict with enough money to blow away for years and years, and I had nobody to stop me. After someone tried to jump me one night, I bought some self defense lessons, and taught myself the rest. By the time I was 19 I was a fighter, and honestly, I was pretty damn good. But one night, one night things went too far." I felt myself getting hot, my blood boiling with anger, and I dug my nails into my knees aggressively causing a sharp pain to ensue, but that didn't stop me.

" I was in New York City at the time, and it was late. I was heading home after a long night of partying when someone got in my way. It was a young kid, not much older than myself, and he had some pretty cruel intentions. I could see it n his eyes, and I humored him slightly. But not long after that I was fed up, and started resisting-" I was interrupted by the Joker.

" What did he uh do doll face? Did he hurt you? Did he take advantage? Just say the word and he's _history_." He said, leaning towards my, staring deeply into my eyes. His voice was serious, and his smirk was wiped off his face.

" Let me finish please." I said, and he nodded, waiting for something that would definitely surprise him. I closed my eyes, thinking back to that night, and I jumped out of my chair into a standing position.

" I- I started resisting and surprisingly, he complied. He stopped, and got up to leave, but I wouldn't let him. I-I was just starting to have some fun with this guy and I just, I couldn't let him ruin my fun like that. And I got _angry._ Really, really angry, and I, I." Tears began falling again, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold myself together.

The Joker stood up, his blue shirt hung on him unbuttoned, and walked to me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

" You what." He growled, but his face didn't look angry.

" I _killed _him. I took a piece of glass, and shoved it through him just like that. I remember how easily it had been done. One minute he was alive and the next, the next he wasn't. I had killed him, and at the time it felt good. It felt good." I said, and my voice turned to nothing above a whisper by my last sentence.

My eyes ran dry, no more ears came out, and the Joker stepped back, before plopping down into his chair, a look of unbelievable shock written across his face.

" Wow." he mouthed up at me, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, and then he continued. " What did ya do after that?" he asked, and I sat back down in the chair before answering.

" I ran." I said simply. And I felt so great. I felt as though a giant weight had been lifted, like I was seeing sunshine for the fist time after a horrifying storm, and I liked it.

" So what? You were afraid, couldn't uh see yourself in a bright orange _jumpsuit_ breaking rocks for twenty years?" he asked me, his voice amused and still a little shocked.

" I didn't run for fear of getting caught. Or because of any consequences I might face because of my actions. I ran from the fear of knowing how much I longed to do it again. The way it made me feel was simply… indescribable.

When that shard of glass made contact with the soft flesh at his neck, and the warm blood trickled out of his wound, onto my hand. It was the most extraordinary experience I have ever had. And I want to go back. I want that feeling again. But I cant let myself slip, I just- cant."

A nervous laugh escaped my dry trembling lips, although nothing was funny.

I was looking down at my hands that laid in my lap, and once I looked up, I found every eye in the room focused on me, making me feel uneasy. But what did I expect? Of course they were going to look at me like that.

The Joker glanced at me, and seeing my nervous gaze stood up, addressing the room.

" Hey, Get back to uh _work_. You all have bet-ter things to do other than mooch off me and scare my girl. Ya. Got. That." He said strictly, his eyes dark and foreboding yet again. And his goons took one look at him and murmured apologies, exiting the room quickly.

Within seconds the room was clear of everyone except for the two of us, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Only to be pulled from my seat by my wrist and escorted to the front of the room. The Joker wasn't saying anything, just staying completely quiet, but I knew something was brewing inside that chaotic head of his and for once, I wasn't nervous, or scared. I felt strangely at ease being with the Joker right now, but who knows, in the future that could change.

What I knew now was I felt free. I had let go of all my dirty little secrets and I couldn't help but smile along with the Joker as he pulled me over to the couch, pushing me down into it as he climbed on top of me. And as his lips traveled up my neck, to meet my lips, I didn't know why, but I couldn't help but laugh along with him. That contagious chaotic laughter I had heard so many times before.

Some people may say I'm crazy for acting the way I am, but who cares, they just don't understand.

The thing people forget is how good it can feel when you finally set secrets free. Whether good or bad, at least they're out in the open, like it or not. And once your secrets are out in the open, you don't have to hide behind them anymore. The problem with secrets is even when you think you're in control, you're not.

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What do you think ?!?!?! I neeeed to know so you all should review with very long messages telling me your opinions on my story. It iwll make me very happy :]

So do it. Review. I know you wanna!


	20. Lines

_A/N: Hey guys, srry for the long wait, i just have been kinda stumped. I know where i want this story to go, but until i get to that point, it will be a little rough, BUT BEAR WITH ME lol. I dont like this chapter tho, but i still want reviews. i need to now how you guys are liking this story. Its 3 in the morning and im so sleep devrived so some parts might be a little off, but i cant update tomorrow and i didnt want to make you wait any longer lol So Enjoy. _

_AND! Thank you everyone who reviewed, i expect you to review again :] pleaseeee?_

_Disclaimer: Dont Own Mistah J. Only own Annabelleeeee_

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_All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another._

_~Anatole France_

The room was silent, except for the sound of our lips working together in amazing synchronization.

I was lying on the couch, my head resting on one of the many couch pillows, and the Joker was hovering above me, not resting his entire weight onto my body. Instead, he was holding himself up slightly by his hands which rested on both sides of my face.

My hands were placed on his lower back, and I pulled him closer to me, wanting nothing but him, and he did the same in return.

Removing one of his hands from beside my face, he traced it down the side of my body, where it landed on my side. He pulled me up against him, and I arched into him, letting a moan slip from my lips. I could feel him smile into the kiss at my reaction, and I took this opportunity to slide my hands up his back, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

The Joker leaned back, breaking the kiss and a giggle escaped him. His eyes were full of laughter as I stared at him confused. He sat up, still straddling me, and I removed my hands from his shirt, propping myself up on my elbows.

"What.." I said to him, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I wanted him, I had just given up everything. My past, my secrets, everything. And now I wanted something in return. He owed me.

But he just sat there, a smug smile on his face. The pain the wore had smeared off a bit, and in some spots was missing. He looked at me like he knew something I didn't. Like there was something he was going to do, and I would soon find out.

Abruptly, he jumped up from the couch, pulling me up along with him.

He was smiling insanely, but his eyes were dark as they scanned the room we were walking out of. His grip on my wrist was bruising, and he didn't let up. Even as I whined in protest.

" Ow. OW! That hurts, let go. Stop. Where the hell are we going?" I whined as he towed me out of the room, and up a flight of stair, to a thick mahogany door. He only glanced back and laughed at my futile struggles. Not angry at all, and I was thankful for that even though his anger was far from my worries.

The Joker skipped the last few steps, nearly yanking my wrist from the rest of my arm, and threw open the door.

Once inside, the Joker kicked the door closed aggressively, and dropped my arms from his grasp. I stopped instantly and rubbed my sore wrist, which was already bruising. Joker opened a door, which I assumed led to a closet, and disappeared inside of it. I heard him banging around, shuffling through things, and mumbling things to himself before he emerged, a black pea coat jacket hanging over his shoulders.

" Taa Daa." He said, walking towards me. He pulled the jacket off of his shoulder, and wrapped it around my shoulders.

The coat was soft, with silk lining on the inside, and the outside was also very soft, like cotton. And as I slid my arms into the sleeves, I was surprised at how well it fit me, as if it were made for me.

" What's this for?" I asked him, and his smile grew at my question.

"We're uh going out." he answered, grabbing my arm again, but this time his touch was gentle, almost caring, but this _was _the Joker. He didn't have a caring bone in his body, he just knew what it took to get what he wanted. And honestly, it was working.

We flew down two flights of stairs, and through a maze of dimly lit, musty hallways before we made it to what I assumed to be the front door. The Joker took out a ring of keys from his large purple coat, and unlocked it. The door creaked open eerily, flooding the dank hallway with bright sunshine. And it took me a minute for my eyes to adjust.

When they did, I could see a long dirt driveway winding itself up to large iron gates. As I looked more closely, I could see that the entire property seemed to be surrounded by a tall black fence, trapping in everything within its iron borders. But before I could take in anything else, the Joker, yet again, began dragging off towards the right, where a large building resided.

The building had four garage door on the front of it, and one was open reveling a sleek, black Cadillac. It was very new, and the sun made diamonds as it hit the car perfectly.

I couldn't contain my squeak of joy as I saw it, even though their was something off about the fact that my weakness was sitting just feet from me. But at the moment, I didn't care. Running up to the car, I shrieked again, full of excitement, and flung open the driver's side door, jumping in.

I ran my hands along the steering wheel, feeling the leathery surface slide under my hands, and I let my eyes roam along the rest of the interior. Everything looked in pristine condition, even the windshield was spotless.

" I see you uh _like _the car." I heard a throaty voice say from the hood of the car and I looked out to see the Joker staring at me intently, his lips curved up into a smirk. His hands were resting on the hood as he leaned against it, and he had an air of intimidating about him, but it didn't stop me from giggling like a little kid in a candy shop as I fooled around with the inside of the car.

" That I do." I said finally, adjusting the mirror so I could see out the back. This had been the first time I had gotten out, and I was loving it. I felt so free, even at the hands of the Clown Prince of Crime.

" Welllllll." He said, walking around to my side of the car, his hands on the opened door. "I wanna drive." his eyes were serious, even though his expression was not, but I instinctively began pushing it.

" Wellllll." I said, mimicking his voice from earlier. " I was here first." I smiled up at him smugly, and his voice came back fast and hard, but at the same time there was a playful edge to it.

" I uh see your point-ah. But, as it may seem, I'm the one with the keys and uh your not." He said buoyantly, and he as actually bouncing up and down, wearing that stupid smirk. His large ring of keys were in his hand, and he waved them in front of his face, instigating me.

And it worked.

I hated losing, one of my flaws I guess. And his little act with the keys really put me in a bad mood. I instantly frowned, staring at him with blank eyes, the annoyance in my stomach building. But this only furthered him to test my patience even more.

" If I'm gonna drive, you should probably think about moving doll." He said to me, as if I had a say in who would be driving. And the way he said it, really ticked me off.

" Why don't I just drive then." I said through my teeth, placing a strained smile on my face, but he saw right through it. Leaning down, our noses almost touching, he started laughing, getting spit all over my, and I jumped back in disgust.

I scooted out of the driver's seat, into the passengers side just to get away, and I instantly regretted it. I had just given him what he wanted.

" I would uh say yes, but your already com-for-tab-ly seated right there. And I'm," he said, climbing into the car, closing the door silently behind him. " Already set to drive. Hmm. Maybe next time though." He said mocking me, he even gave me a little thumbs up sign. What a dumb ass. I was done talking to him for now, no matter how childish I looked.

I hated loosing, and I just loss, doesn't really help when you have a slight case of anger management.

The Joker started the car silently, and slowly drove out of the garage and down the dirt path. We reached the gate in seconds, and were on our way out in no time. The ride was silent, and the longer that silence was held, the more I wanted to break it even though I had initiated it in the first place.

" Where are we going." I said finally, exasperated.

He chuckled at my inability to hold our tiny competition and replied. " Somewhere." His voice was feignting boredom as he stared off out the windshield. I opened my mouth to respond but closed it quickly.

Something came over me, and I felt like I was coming down to earth after a high.

I didn't know what was wrong with me. Its like all of a sudden I felt like I could say anything, do anything, and not have a care in the world. This was a side of me I hadn't shown in months, not since before I moved back to Gotham City, and I was crossing a line with the Joker, a line that had previously existed between us. And I knew it wouldn't be long before he started making clear that line once again.

I didn't know what it was, but it felt as though something had changed between the Joker and I. Because I, for one, felt so much more at ease with him now, I almost felt safe. Almost. I'm not a complete idiot. I know how dangerous, how _lethal _he is, but I cant stay away.

There's something in the way he smiles, something in the way he laughs that draws me in. And it has from the beginning. From the first moment I had seem him at Bruce's party, I knew there was some kind of lethal attraction between us, but I had been too blind, or too stubborn to understand it. The way, every time I see him, I get that little flutter in the pit of my stomach. Or even when he's full of rage, I cant help but see the good side about him.

Its like he's the light bulb and I'm the fly. I know that the closer I get, the closer I am to harm, but I go anyway, because it's a distraction, and I'm so ready for a change, that it grabs a hold of me and I have nowhere else to go but to the light.

And in the end it will end badly, of course, there's no such thing as happily ever after. But I'm temporary blinded by his presence that I can overlook all the flaws that I'm faced with. I shouldn't be so happy, so calm with him, but for right now, I'm okay with it.

There's definitely a line that has been drawn out by whomever is to blame for the world itself. The line is plain and simple. There is good, and there is bad, but what exactly distinguishes that line?

The Joker, he was bad. Everything about him screamed it, but I couldn't help but dance along that line, that border. The smart thing would be to take a step back, take a better look at that line and think. Is it really worth crossing it? But my decision today, could be different tomorrow, and today I wasn't ready to make that decision.

The car came to a stop, and the Joker turned off the ignition, turning to me.

" We're here." Was all he said as he slid out of the car, and across the abandoned street to a rundown looking warehouse. The walls were covered in graffiti, and the windows, which were placed high up from the ground, had either holes in them, or were completely shattered. Either way, the place looked like it had been long since used.

The Joker soon disappeared within the building and I hurriedly followed after him. I couldn't decipher his mood, and the last thing I needed was for him to get angry for not staying by his side.

And as I walked in beside him, it surprised me how open he was, almost as if he knew I wouldn't try and run, not that I could get far anyway.

Inside, it was just a large room, similar to the outside. The walls were all covered in dirt and graffiti, and the lights above us were broken, shattered into pieces. I was looking around in wonder at the place when I felt the Joker's arm snake around my waist, and an all too familiar tingle crawl up my spine.

" I wanna show you something." he whispered into my ear, as he led me across the room. " But," he said as his hands slid up my sides, to cover my eyes. " You cant see it yet. He he. It's a _supriseee._" He sing songed, and I laughed at his actions. Like I little kid showing something big for his parents.

Other than my laugh, which I covered as a cough, I complied and walked towards my 'surprise'.

Since I couldn't see, I kept silent, listening for any sounds that could help me to figure out where Joker was leading me. That was when I heard it.

It was soft, but definite. A sound I had heard before. It was a silent whimper, muffled as if my tape, and it sounded hurt, scared, _helpless._ my mouth fell open, and halted midstep, causing the Joker to walk into me.

His hands still covered my eyes, and I ripped them off, backing away from him. I looked at him, a look of disgust in my eyes, and then moved my eyes to the woman lying against the wall, her arms and legs tied together with masking tape. And her mouth taped over as well.

Tears were streaming down her face, and she had mascara lines running down her cheeks. Her arms were covered in dark blue and black bruises and her clothes were tattered. She looked awful, but most of all she looked pathetic.

I wanted to feel bad for her, I wanted to hate the Joker for bringing me here, to see this, but I couldn't. for some reason unknown to me, I felt rather apathetic about it. I had gotten over my initial shock, and was now just staring at the girl lying on the floor whose hope was lost.

Behind me, I felt the Joker place his hands at my sides, and in his left hand I felt a bulky piece of material dig into my side. Looking down, I saw it was a gun.

The Joker brought up the gun, grabbing my hands, and placed the gun into my palms. Taking a better look, I saw that it was a Colt Python Magnum Revolver, and I had no idea what it was doing in my hands. I never was a fan of guns, it was always too easy to accidentally shoot yourself with them.

Sensing my confusion, the Joker spoke, licking his lips once before smiling devilishly.

" I want you to uh well, _shoot _her." he whispered in my ear. He had spun me around so I was facing the girl on the ground, and he placed his arms over my outstretched arms, his hands keeping my hands on the gun.

My breath hitched in my throat. I had killed before, but I couldn't do it again. I couldn't, could I? No. that was a one time thing, but he had done something wrong. This girl, she didn't do anything wrong. Why would I kill her? But at the same time, why were my fingers so steady on the gun as I cocked it?

This was just another line, or was it?

In general, lines are there for a reason : for security, for clarity. If you choose to cross the line, you pretty much do so at your own risk. So why is it, that the bigger the line, the greater the temptation to cross it?

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Oooo. Cliffie lol. idk why but i love ending chapters like that, it makes me smile even if the rest of the chapter sucks. hahah anyway i think after the next chapter, things will start falling in linee :] i have many great ideass but i have nobody to share them with. If anyone would like to talk about ideas or like to hear mine you can ask, and we can talk about it. I try to talk to my friends about it but they all think im like soo obsessed. Pfff Losersss lol.

Anyway Please review. i want to reach 70 now! thats my goal, and if we reach it by Sunday, You'll get another update hehehheeh

Review Loviesss, or PM me if you have a hankering to hear my ideass :]


	21. Breaking Point

_A/N: Heyy, i really like this chapter, and i hope you do too! I just bought the book Joker by Brian Azzarello, and its AMAZING. you should definitely check it out if you liked the Dark Knight :] Anyway, this is a bigggg chapter, important wise, so please read and Revieww_

_Disclmaimer: Only Own Annabelle, quote at the end is owned by Steven King._

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_The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want._

_- Bob Stein_

We can't help ourselves. We see a line, we want to cross it. Maybe it's the thrill of trading the familiar for the unfamiliar. A sort of personal dare. Only problem is, once you've crossed it's almost impossible to go back.

The girl was still on the ground, crying endless tears of fear. And I stood in front of her, gun cocked and ready to shoot. My finger rested on the trigger, ready at a moments notice to pull it, ending her cries.

The Joker still stood behind me, holding my arms in place, giggling wildly.

" Are ya gonna pull the uh trigger?" He asked into my ear, pressing himself against me. His voice was rough, and at the same time comforting in a way.

I didn't respond.

I was torn. I could pull the trigger, killing this innocent girl. Who probably wasn't any older than me, and I doubt she had done anything worth dying for. Or I could drop the gun, step away, and not kill her. But what would happen if I didn't? The Joker would most definitely not be happy.

The Joker moved removed one of his hands from mine and trailed it up my arms and traced the side of my face before settling on my head. His touch was soft and comforting. But, he was a great actor.

Seconds after placing his hand on my head, he grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled my head around to look at him. His face was emotionless, just plain. There wasn't any anger, or rage, just simple nothingness.

But when he spoke, his voice dripped with acid.

" Pull the trig-ger Annabelle. Now." He said, and his voice sent chills down my spine. But I didn't shake.

I was standing there with a mass murderer. A mass murderer. Someone who could kill me in an instant, with no reason. My heart rate is jacked, but my hand, steady. That's what I figured out about myself during my time with the Joker. My hand does not shake. Ever.

But I couldn't bring myself to put that ounce of pressure on the trigger. Something inside of me wouldn't allow it, a part of me didn't want to be a monster.

The Joker still held my hair in an iron grip, and my eyes were still locked on his face. I still hadn't pulled the trigger, even though moments ago I had been so willing. Maybe actually being here, ready to do the deed, faltered my resolve. It brought up memories of that night. But honestly, were they so bad?

I had ended a man's life, but if he had been doing what exactly it was he was doing, was it really such a bad thing. Karma's a bitch, he had to of had it coming.

" Are you uh scared darling?" he asked, unusually soft. And I almost didn't answer, but deciding on nodding anyway. His lips curled up into a devious smile and he stepped away from me, turning to circle the girl on the ground.

" You shouldn't be. Everyone in this city deserves to uh die for one thing or another. No one gets away scotch free. If your in this damn city, you've fucked up somewhere in your life." he said placating, shooting a glance my way. " Isn't that right, girly." he said to the girl, reaching out to touch her cheek, but she pulled away roughly, only causing him to laugh.

" Ya see. Right now, she looks innocent. But at night, she's a different story. At night she's out selling herself on the streets! Giving herself for the right price, but everything's not about money. That's what she needs to understand, that's what this entire city needs to understand. Even you Princess." he said, a little more harsher than before, and he was still circling the girl, whose cries were growing louder by the second.

"Luck. That's what it all boils down to, doesn't it? The smallest break one way or another. It can change uh a life or destroy it. And you can't fight it. No matter how strong you are." The Joker stopped his circling, and faced me, his tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip.

"They've got you trapped. This entire city is a prison for you and your so called 'new life' And you're gonna die if you uh don't break free. Maybe not right away because you're strong but... sooner or later that fire that drew me to you, Annabelle... that fire's gonna uh burn out…" He said the last part slowly, his last sentence hanging in the air, and I closed my eyes tightly. Maybe if I tried hard enough, everything would just go away. This city, this gun, this girl, all of it would just disappear. I wouldn't be forced to make a decision I wasn't ready to make.

But this was real, and a decision had to be made. The Joker was looking at me, his eyes dancing as he stalked towards me.

" Its not your job to save me alright." I spat at him bitterly, mostly because he looked angry. I hated when he was angry, trying to intimidate me. I wasn't a little kid, I could make my own decisions, and peer pressure wasn't going to work on me.

" Your right doll. Only you can do that." He barked at me, his tone just as bitter, but there wasn't anger behind it, more surprise than anything else I could decipher.

I felt a sudden rush of confidence over take me as my blood ran hot. This situation was really starting to piss me off, and I didn't like that. Not at all.

" And what are you gonna do if I don't pull this trigger huh? Are you gonna kill me? Cause sorry Hun, I'm not afraid of death." I said to him, my voice rising, and I lowered the arm holding the gun. He only looked at me, his smile returning.

" Why don't I just kill you. End all our struggles. With you out of the picture Gotham could be a much better place, free from the tricks of your stupid shit. And hate to break it to you _darling _but makeup is for girls." I spat angrily, pointing the gun in his direction. He was bent over, he was laughing so hard, but that only fueled my anger more.

Exasperated I spoke. " What's so god damn funny?" my voice was calmer, but still held the same anger as before. He looked up, his paint cracking with his laughter as he pointed to me.

" He he. You. You just _kill me_ with your brave little ranting. Its so _cute._" he replied, and then he continued, holding back his laughter.

" I uh know your not afraid of death, cause your just. Like. Me. Don't deny it princess you know it too. And killing me wont stop any other loony from uh taking over. I started something, and the only way its gonna end is with Gotham City in _flames._ He he. Oh and by the way, that _feeling_ your getting right about now. The feeling that's makin your blood boil and your face hot. The tingle your getting as you hold that gun in your hands. Its something familiar. It feels good doesn't it. It makes you wanna break something, hurt something, maybe even kill something? And it wont go away until you do just that. So go ahead, pull the trigger. I'm uh standing right here. Waiting."

He said to me, stepping closer. He had his arms outstretched as he stopped, three feet in front of me. And he was right. That tingling sensation that I was feeling felt amazing, and I loved it, but I also wanted, no. I didn't _want _to do it, I _needed _to do it. I needed to use this gun. Now.

The Joker was a perfect target, standing there grinning, but I couldn't use the gun on him. What would be the fun in that? Why would I kill someone who I share this feeling with? Besides, I'd be looked at as a hero if I killed him, and I was far from being a hero. I was a monster.

I cocked the gun, my finger firmly on the trigger, and the gun was still pointed at the Joker. But, at the last possible second, I moved my arm, positioning it so it was pointed at the girls head, and pulled the trigger.

I saw the blood splash across the floor, and myself, before I heard the loud bang echo from the gun.

The bullet flew, and went straight through her head, hitting the pew behind her. I felt so alive! So incredibly enthralled. This was something I hadn't felt in years, and I loved every second of it. I could help myself from smiling, however monstrous I may seem for doing so. But taking a life, it made me feel empowered. I wanted to do it again, and I knew who I wanted to do it with.

A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through me like an electric current, turning me against my will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic. And yet the rage that I felt was an abstract, undirected emotion which could be switched from one object to another like the flame of a blowlamp. This feeling, it changed me.

The Joker looked at the lifeless body of the girl before him and scoffed, before glancing at me. But he kept his mouth shut, and instead cocked his head to the side. He was smiling, and his smile looked smug, with a touch of pride, and he lowered his arms.

My mouth started to hurt after a few moments due to my feverish smiling and I looked towards the man who had caused me all this, this joy. And a giggle escaped my lips. He joined in soon after, and stepped the remaining feet to me, grabbing hold of both my wrists.

" How'd it feel?" he whispered to me, his eyes wide and glowing, similar to a little kid's. I removed my wrists from his grasp suddenly, and jumped at him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he spun around, holding me by the waist.

" It was amazing." I practically screamed into his ear, and he let out a peal of his signature laughter. I hugged him closer, as he put me back down onto the ground.

I still kept my arms around his neck, and his arms stayed around my waist and we touched our four heads together. He had to bend down a bit, but we pulled it off. We stayed there for a while giggling with each other before I spoke up.

" Let's do that again." I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, and he pulled my arms from around his neck, placing one of his arms around my shoulder, leading me out of the warehouse.

" Not right now princess. I've got an even uh _better _idea." he said as we exited the building, jumping into the car. The Joker started the ignition and drove off quickly, heading downtown. I was curious and excited for what he had planned so I spoke up.

" well then, what is your 'better idea'?" I asked, putting up air quotes with my fingers when I said ' better idea'.

He turned to me, smiling as he did so, and asked. " How do ya feel about fireworks?" I raised an eyebrow at him and scoffed. " it's the middle of the day if you hadn't noticed. You know, that big yellow thing in the sky, it's the sun." I retorted smartly, laughing as he smacked the back of my head playfully.

" Smartass." he mumbled to himself, and I just smiled. Damn straight, takes one to know one.

The car ride was quiet, and I hated the silence so I started fiddling with the radio, trying to find a station I liked. Luckily, I came across one, which I then blared. The station was playing my favorite song.

The song filled the once silent car, and I joined in with the music, singing as loud as possible.

__

Do you know who I am?  
good, neither do I.  
got nothing to say, (I got nothing to say)  
but if you pay me, I can play the fool.

Go on believe, if it turns you on.  
take what you need 'til your body is numb.  
prostitution, is revolution.  
you can hate me, after you pay me.  
my submission, is your addiction.  
so just get out while you can.

Do you remember when the only thing that mattered was, taking time for the things you love?  
but now you got to humor, all these fools.

Go on believe, if it turns you on.  
take what you need 'til your body is numb.  
prostitution, is revolution.  
you can hate me, after you pay me.  
my submission, is your addiction.  
so just get out while you can.

If you need me, I'm your man.  
but you don't want to see me mad.  
oh, no, we, don't care!  
you're a pro and its no surprise.  
oh, no, we, don't care!

Go on believe, if it turns you on.  
take what you need 'til your body is numb.  
prostitution, is revolution.  
you can hate me, after you pay me.  
my submission, is your addiction.  
so just get out while you can

The bass strummed its last chords, and the song ended, transitioning to a softer, slower tune that I wasn't too fond of. I turned the knob of the radio, silencing the music until it was barely audible, then I looked towards the Joker.

His hands were wrapped firmly around the steering wheel, and he sat hunched over a bit, but his eyes weren't on the road that was zooming by. Instead they were glued to me, his expression twisted up into something peculiar. Like he was confused in some way, but I just shrugged it off, glancing out the window.

" That's a great uh song. Who sings it?" he asked, his eyes on the road again. I had no reason not to answer him, so I did.

" Its called Prostitution is the World's Oldest Profession, and I dear Madame am a Professional. Its by Cobra Starship. I don't know, I think their pretty good." I said to him, looking down at my hands. He giggled once and nodded, continuing his staring out the windshield.

I huffed a bit, and continued looking out the window as well. What was the point in him asking me these type of questions, if he didn't have some sort of response to them? But I guess that's why he's so fierce. No one knows what's going on in his twisted brain. I barely knew half the time.

But that other half of the time, I was almost certain with what he was saying to me. It was like he was speaking a language nobody else knew, everyone except me. I got what he was saying, and it actually made sense. He wasn't crazy, he just didn't follow what society thought to be appropriate. And who are they to judge?

He just wanted to show this city the cruelty of life, he just wanted to make them _smile. _He needed them to understand, to open their eyes. This world was one big joke, and until they got it, they were all doomed.

I guess what he was trying to say was Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win**.**

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**I enjoyed writing this, so i hope you enjoyed reading it, as you can see Annabelle is breaking down, losing her resolve, slipping from reality, ect. And their rlationship is growing but dont be alarmed by the mushyness. This isnt a girl meets Joker, they fall in love happily ever after sort of deal, i mean i cant write that, i hate happy endings ( Hint hint). But it was necessary for now. I mean i couldnt realitstically write Annabelle falling for the Joker, and working side by side with him if he was mean to her all the time right? Anyway, he will get more Joker-Like next chapter, and throughout the rest of the story. The Joker cant love the conventional way, so i cant have their relationship be very conventional, i just needed this chapter to ease Annabelle into the life of crimee.  
BTW. I have two possible endings for this story, both resulting in a sequel, but neither of those ending will be coming anytime soon :]**

**PLease review with ideas, criticism, ect. They are greatly appreciated. And i need them for motivation!**


	22. Realization

_A/N: Alright. I finally got another chapter up. YAY. Sorry for the delay, but now im soo excited cause i have so many ideas for chapters to come!! Also, i only have like 5 weeks of school left!!! IM very excited, so i should be updating more frequently._

_Thanks for all of yout wonderful Reviews, and i really hope you guys continue giving them. I'd love to reach 100 soon :]  
Disclaimer: DC Comics own Batman and Joker, And a few of the quotes used in this chapterrr. Have fun!_

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_If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance. _

_- George Bernard Shaw_

The sleek black Cadillac crawled down the winding alleyways of Gotham until finally reaching its destination.

We pulled up to a large building, a good 20 stories high. The building looked unfinished, with no windows, only tarps covering the massive holes in the walls. And as I got out of the car, I took note of the fact that there was a big sign signifying that this was the Prewitt building. I remembered that name. It was the same building the Joker had gotten caught in all those months ago.

Caught up in my own world, I missed the Joker calling my name.

" _Annabelleeee? _Do ya plan on joining me any time soon?" He asked, already inside. And I quickly snapped out of my reverie, hurrying up to him.

The Joker led me to a rather large elevator, and pushed me in before getting in himself, but I didn't say anything. There was something in his eyes that told me I shouldn't speak. Something that made me feel small in comparison to him. Something that made him look like he was better than everyone else, like a god.

The elevator climbed, shooting up story by story at an alarmingly fast speed. And I had to grab on to the railing on the side to keep myself steady. I wasn't too fond of the motion of this elevator and the Joker laughed at my nervousness.

Laughing he spoke. " He he. We're uh almost there." He told me, leaning against the wall of the elevator as if nothing was wrong. Like he did this all the time, and he probably did. Hearing his reassurance, I closed my eyes and waited until the elevator made its final stop. Soon the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

I opened my eyes wearily to see the doors open, and the Joker grab a hold of my arm, pulling me out with him.

We walked over scrap pieces of metal and other debris lying on the floor, and once I almost tripped, sending the Joker into a fit of giggles as he held me up. But soon, we made it to a large opening in the wall that looked out over the city, and the view was lovely, too bad I made the mistake of looking down.

" Holy Shit." I stated shocked, backing away from the large opening. The Joker still held a firm grip on my arm, but I maneuvered out of it quickly, hurrying back at least ten feet where I leaned against a wall, sliding down into a sitting position.

The Joker watched me, a bemused expression on his painted face, and he cocked his head to the side, licking his lips. Letting out a stiff laugh, he bounced over to me, his eyes glittering with excitement.

" You uh cant see the_ fireworks _from way over here-ah" He Mentioned, sounding distant. But this was just an act. He kept his eyes from my face, but I knew I was holding his undivided attention.

" Oh I can see just fine from over here thank you." I snapped, catching his gaze. His smile grew, showing rows of yellowed teeth, and he strolled even closer.

" Aww. Is uh Something _bothering _you? Hmm? Are ya afraid of the uh height we happen to be standing at?" he asked, leaning down to eye level, his face inched from mine.

" Its about uh 200 feet to be exact-_ah_. And we're not even at the top!" He giggled reaching out to grab my hand, but I slipped away, jumping up to my feet.

" How fucking sweet of you. You see that I'm practically _terrified _of standing up here, and you make jokes. Not the best way to sweep a girl off her feet hot-shot." I fumed, storming back to the elevator, but I wasn't counting on his speed.

Before I could get back to the elevator, the Joker wound his arm around my waist, pulling me back towards the edge. He wasn't smiling, and his grip was iron tight. " Going so soon?" he mocked, pulling me away from the one place I wanted to be. His laugh came out strained and cold. And he removed his arm from my waist, instead placing it on the back of my neck, and squeezing.

I tried to push him away but it was to no avail, he was too strong and too determined. Now, mere feet from the edge, he spoke.

" So you uh want me to _sweep _you off your feet? Hmm? Wellllll, if that's what you want." He growled into my ear. His hot breath fanning across my face. And before I could react, he picked me up into his arms, bridal style, and walked even closer to the edge.

" Ahh!" I screamed, clutching onto the Joker's Purple jacket, holding on for dear life.

He held me out at arms length, over the edge, and laughed when I held onto him in a death grip.

I was terrified. My hands were getting clammy, and my breathing got heavier. This could be the end of me. The Joker could easily let me go, where I would fall to my demise. And he would do it, nothing was stopping him, but I still had the smallest shred of hope that he wouldn't.

After a few moments, I began to feel his grip slipping and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to imagine myself somewhere else. That's when I heard him speak. His voice was low, but playful.

" Remember Annabelle. Its not the fall, it's the sudden stop!" He squealed, dropping me.

My eyes shot open instantly, and I immediately looked down. But then, I hit the hard floor.

Stunned, I looked up to see the smiling Joker laughing at me. My eyes were full of fear, and I couldn't speak. But I was ecstatic with the fact that he hadn't dropped me off the edge of the building. My back hurt a little from the fall, but I blocked the pain, getting up into a standing position.

The Joker was doubled over in laughter, and I waited patiently for him to stop, my arms crossed across my chest.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, the Joker's laughs slowed and he straightened out, fixing his signature jacket. Walking over to me, he wrapped an arm over my shoulder, and walked me to the wall, leaving a foot from the edge.

" Thank you." I whispered to him, sneaking a glance his way, but he was looking out to the city around us. A small smile did creep across his face though, and I smiled to myself. We stood in silence for a minute before he turned abruptly, placing both his hands on my shoulders.

" I uh need you to do something." he said to me, grabbing a cell phone from his pocket. I looked towards him confused " What is it?" I asked, but he wouldn't respond.

Instead, he dialed a number and held the phone out to me.

" Tell them to uh go to 24th street at Prescott's, tell em that there is uh girl there. Dead." He commanded, holding the phone to my ear. I grabbed it and waited as it rang. It only rang once before a feminine voice spoke from the other side.

" 911. What's your emergency?" The women said. She was calm and very professional sounding, I almost laughed.

" Yes there's a dead girl. She's at uh," I stopped, looking towards the Joker for the Address. With a roll of his eyes he whispered. " 24th street at Prescott's." He said and I repeated it.

" Okay ma'am, Now please stay on the line as we get squad cars out there. What is your name?" she Asked, but before I could answer, the Joker grabbed the phone, and threw it off the building.

" Now, we wait!" he said excitedly, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. He was humming in my ear as we waited, and sure enough, the bright lights and the deafening sounds of police cars sped by, stopping at the same warehouse we had been in minutes before. This was what we were waiting for.

The cars parked, and the men inside them flooded out of their vehicles, into the warehouse, where they disappeared from sight, and the Joker took out a small black object, with a bright red button in the middle. It was a detonator.

" Are ya ready for the fireworks?" he asked huskily, removing his hands from my waist to grab hold of the detonator, but still encircling me with his arms. I nodded once, and felt him smile against my neck. But before he pressed the button, he placed my hands around the detonator, moving my thumb onto the red button.

" Why doesn't my little uh _princess _do the honors. Hmm." he whispered, moving his hands back to my sides, squeezing slightly.

And again I was faced with another dilemma.

I could set off the detonator, causing the warehouse, and all inside to be blown to bits, killing them. Or I could not. But really, was there even a choice anymore? I liked the risk, the danger. It was new and welcoming. I liked dancing along the lines of good and evil, playing the odds, and winning.

The Joker had opened up a life I had been too afraid to even think about, but now, there wasn't any other way.

Without hesitation, I pressed the button, sending colorful flames hundreds of feet into the air. The flames ranged in color from blue to orange, to finally yellow. And the smoke billowed up even higher, blocking out the sun. The fire spread to the buildings around it, sending downtown Gotham into a fiery hell.

And, I laughed. This is what I had wanted, the entire time. And I never even knew.

My name's Annabelle Mathews. You don't know me, but my whole life I knew you would.I knew that I'd do something-- be somebody-- that you'd know and take notice. A hot shot.

Front row seats, designer dresses, my own booth at the Toniest restaurant in town. **Somebody.**

Not some two-bit nobody, small potatoes wouldn't satisfy a starving Irishman. I knew I was going to be big. And I would do anything to get it. I had never imagined this would be it, as the Joker's apprentice, but either way. You would know my name.

The Joker was shaking with delight, his high pitched laughs echoing throughout the entire building, and I joined him. We stayed like that for quite some time, just standing on top of the world, looking down at the mayhem ensuing below us.

Soon though, the sun faded away over the horizon, and the moon took its place, giving the city and eerie glow to it. The flames had died down as well due to the fact that more reinforcements were called in. I wondered if they would find the bodies under all the wreckage, or what was left of them, if there would be anything left. I didn't think there would, but nowadays, you never know.

Nevertheless, I liked knowing it was my fault that they may never find out.

The Joker opened his mouth to speak, and my thoughts took over. There was something about Joker… it was like he could see everything you were thinking like it was written right across your forehead, plain as daylight.

Or maybe it was more like he made you _think _the way he wanted you to.

" They'll never find 'em. But they'll know it was me. They'll know." He said, still looking out at the carnage left behind. He was smiling, a genuine smile that was rare to see. It was free from and sarcasm or rage. Just… happy.

" Why do you want them to know it was you?" I asked, I mean it's great having people know who you are, but why isolate yourself this way. If people know what you have done, and your wanted, there's no way to ever truly be free. But if people had suspicions, but no concrete evidence, you'd be free to do as you wish. Or to even lead a double life.

" Well Annabelle, that's simple. Where's the thrill in committing the perfect crime if nobody knows it was you?" Was his reply, and I understood. I guess, if you can commit a crime, but have nobody pointing fingers your way, it would be as if you'd never done it. But if they knew it was you, the fact that you slip by time and time again is thrilling.

" Okay." I said, looking down at the city once more, smiling. The resulting silence was comfortable, it let me take in everything.

We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it. Not by a long shot.

I had always wanted to be big, but I never thought this would be why. I mean, no I wasn't big yet, but I would be. People would know I was with the Joker. And together we would be unstoppable, but I couldn't help this nagging feeling deep inside me that made me feel like I was forgetting something. Something important.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Joker take a step back, yawning slightly, and grabbing my hand in his gloved one. " Time to go _homeee_!" He sang leading me to the elevator, and to the car. We both got in, and after placing his arm around the back of my car seat, he sped off.

The Explosion had put Joker in a good mood, which was good for **everyone**. I'd realized his mood, was like the weather. It has the same persuasive effect on everyone it touched. Even me. I was happy, even though I had taken lives today, I was happy. I liked this. I was on top of the world, I was in control. I was free. Free from the rules of society tying me down, holding me back from greatness.

In record time, we made it back to the house, crawling down past the gate, along the driveway. The Joker parked, and cut the engine, but remained seated, moving his head to the side to look at me.

" So uh on a scale from _one _to _ten._ How would you rate-_ah _your day?" He asked weirdly, his voice sounding off compared to his usual tone. And I really didn't have to think. The day went amazingly. Even though thinking that still left me a little uneasy. How could I have fun killing people? But it wasn't really that. It was the risk taking that thrilled me. Being with the Joker, committing crimes and wreaking havoc really made me feel in a way I never had before. So yeah, I liked it.

" Hmm. Well I'd say a sold 8 ½." I said laughing, and he joined in with me. His black rimmed eyes full of some unknown emotion.

" Huh. 8 ½. That's uh pretty good. Why uh, why not a ten?" he asked between laughs, his white paint cracking across his face. I looked at him, my smile fading. The answer was simple, but serious. It was true.

" Nothing's a ten in this city." I said, sighing, and his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Getting up, he ran around the car to my side, swinging my door open. Holding out a helping hand, I took it and he pulled me against him, shutting the door with his foot before pressing me up against the car.

" Your right. Not when you uh play by _their _rules." He said looking up around me, towards the city off in the distance. " But be-lieve me. On _my _side. **Everything **can be a ten." He whispered seductively into my ear, and I smiled in return.

" Oh my. He he. I wonder what good 'ol Brucey would say about his best uh friend joining the life of crime." He giggled, nibbling on my ear. And I felt as though I had been slapped across the face. All this time, I had forgotten all about Bruce.

Bruce Wayne, my best friend.

Bruce Wayne, the only person I had left.

Bruce Wayne, Batman.

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I think that this story is coming along wonderfully, i am actually quite proud of this chapter, and thank you to everyone who has given me ideas, i would still like to hear how you think this should end. Also i still need a beta reader :]

Please review, i still love those reviews, knowing what im doing right and wrong, or if you just like my story.  
HAve a veryyy nice day. After you review!


	23. Out With The Old

_A/N: Here's the next installment! Thank you to all that have reviwed. they are very much appreciated and i would love it for all of yout to comtinue reviewing. This chapter is a bit ehh for me so i hope it works for all of you. :] Tell me what you think and i will gladly continue with even better chaters! Oh And btw, there will be more Bruce an the upcoming chapters  
Please review my fellow readers. :]  
Disclaimer: Dc Comics own Batman and Joker, i own Annabelle and the plot._

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_Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. -'The Wonder Years' _

When you've deluded yourself so much into an idea, that any other thought would be crazy, sickening, heartbreaking, then what's to stop you from falling even farther down the rabbit hole?

For me, it was Bruce.

I had become so emerged in this new life, this second chance at becoming something that made me feel indestructible, that I had forgotten all about the one person who had been with me, helped me, my whole life.

After arriving home, the Joker brought me inside, but instead of escorting me back to the room that had been my own, he brought me to a rather large living room, different from other rooms I had seen in this mansion. Sitting in large cushioned couches, were more of his masked men.

Seeing us enter, they stiffened, the happy carefree atmosphere freezing, stiff and cold. The Joker slightly pushed me towards the center of the room, grabbing a bottle of Three Olives Vodka on the way.

" Uh here. Have fun." He said in his clowny voice, pushing the bottle into my hands, before scurrying off out of the open room through the large archway.

" Ill try." I mumbled under my breath before breathing in a steady breath and turning around. The clown men weren't looking at me, but I knew what they were thinking. Who was I? Some chick the Joker brought to screw around with? And honestly, I didn't know for sure myself.

I nervously walked over to the couches where the men sat, and I gave them a small smile. " Hi." I said sweetly, waving my hand in a welcoming manner. No one said a word.

Sighing to myself, I unscrewed the bottle, breaking the seal, and took a rather large gulp. Finally satisfied, I brought the bottle down to my side as I sunk into the couch. The men had moved out of my way, leaving me plenty of room to relax, and relax I did.

The room, was quiet, apart form the soft noises emanating from the TV, and the occasional babble from the goons, but otherwise, it was peaceful, leaving me to think. Think and Drink.

I wasn't exactly sure how long I had been here, could have been a week, could have been less, but either way, something happened. Something in me had changed, or changed back. A part of myself had awakened and now I was… different. The thought of killing someone was now slightly gratifying, as if the more I killed the more the world would make sense. But that was useless thinking. This world, especially this city, never made sense.

It was one big riddle, or better put, a joke. One with no answer, and there never would be. People would search, and search but they'd never find it. They'd eventually drive themselves mad looking for it but by then it wont matter. By then they'll finally realize there is no right answer, just thousands of wrong ones.

I already knew that, this city was a disease, that's why I left in the first place. I thought running away would be easy, like it would cure me of all the evil's I had found here. But I was wrong. Evil followed me everywhere I guess.

But I had come back, searching for help from the one person who had never given up on me; Bruce. He never stopped caring, never, and I'm sure right now he was out there searching for me. He was probably working himself to death just trying to find me, thinking I was probably already dead. But instead of hoping and praying to see him walk through the door, I had forgotten about his existence entirely.

The Joker had shown me a different way of thinking, and I liked it. Giving me a new outlook on life I guess you could say. But this life didn't include Bruce. He was the epitome of all that was good in this world. He was the city's dark knight, and the Joker's number one enemy.

I started to wonder about the future, letting my mind drift as I took in more and more Vodka.

What would happen if I got out of here somehow? What if he let me go? I would obviously come back, I had to. I was too involved now. I couldn't just go and act as if nothing happened. I didn't _want _to.

The room around me was getting fuzzy. The light colored walls blending in with the black leather couches. And byt then the men around me were looking more and more appealing by the second. Soon, after finishing off the bottle of vodka and grabbing another, I sneaked over to the remote control on the table. Their was some sports game on the TV but I was far too drunk too understand it. Grabbing the remote, I shut the TV off and started giggling to myself, rushing over to the far side of the room and fiddling with the radio.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I got the radio to turn on, blasting it on my favorite station.

Around me, everything spinned.

The music filled my ears as I danced to it, completely unaware of the surprised looks I was getting from the men around me. What I did know though was nobody was dancing with me. Nobody _wanted _to dance with me.

Stumbling in the process, I tripped my way back over to the couch, clutching the bottle of vodka in my hand, and fell onto the couch which just so conveniently was full of men. In my drunken stupor, I didn't care how completely ridiculous I looked.

Landing on one of the men's lap, I couldn't contain my incontrollable giggles. " So, uh um come on cutie. Dance with me, I'm just so lonely." I said smiling, wrapping my arms around his neck. By now I was straddling his lap, and he had his hands on my hips, smiling.

Around me I was aware of the hoots and whistles from the men, but that didn't discourage me. All I could concentrate on was the man under me, and even then it was hard. I found myself constantly losing focus and drifting off and needing to take another swig of Vodka to keep myself steady.

The man I was currently on top of sat up, his face inches from mine and he pulled my face in for a kiss.

His lips against mine were rough and chapped, a very uncomfortable feeling, and I wanted it to stop. His tongue begged for entrance against mine, but I refused, pushing myself off of him and tripping backwards over the coffee table. My head hit the ground hard and laughs echoed inside my head from the men.

White spots clouded my already impaired vision, and I shook my head to clear it. But I didn't feel pain. Instead, I felt a kind of calming sensation envelope me, putting me at ease. I tried to sit up but was stopped when I felt the same man from before press himself against me. He leaned down, his lips at my neck, and he was laughing.

His hot breath tickled my neck in an uncomfortable way, and his dry laugh made me cringe. I wanted him off of me, but my strength was all but gone. I tried wriggling out from under him but his weight was too much. He continues to plant kisses against my neck until he moved his hand under my shirt.

" No!" I screamed dazed, my speech coming out drunkenly slurred. The men had gathered around us at this point, but to me they all looked like blurs of color hovering above. I could barely make out the man on top of me, but I knew I had to stop him. I had to.

As his hand crept closer to my breast, I snapped.

My hand that I had been using to try and pry him off of me smacked hard against his face, sending him falling off of me, a few feet to the side. Shock was written across his face when he finally regained his composure, but by then I had got myself to my feet, barely able to stand. He started advancing once again when a silent, but distinct, flicking noise sounded.

The room went silent.

All eyes shifted towards the entranceway where two men stood. One was a young guy, barely 21 who had light green eyes and chocolate brown hair that was shaggy and just the right length. A simple white t-shirt hung loosely around his athletic frame, and his light faded blue jeans hung snugly on his waist. The other man was, you guessed it, the Joker. And he _definitely _didn't look happy. Even drunk I could see that.

" What is uh going on here-_ah_?" Joker asked darkly, his eyes scanning the room before they fell on the guy I had hit. No one spoke up, and the silence was deafening.

" Hmm." He said as he sauntered into the room, his switchblade dancing in his fingers. The Joker stepped around the crowd of men, over to me but he didn't stop. He just glanced once my way and giggled when he saw me loose my footing and almost fall. But that didn't stop him from reaching his destination.

Stopping in front of the man who had tried to take advantage of me, the Joker licked his lips and sighed, patting the blade of his knife against his temple. He closed his eyes in thought.

" Oh Jacob, Jacob, Jacob." he scolded, shaking his head back and forth disapprovingly. He slowly opened his eyes and let his armed hand drop to his side.

" Now, What exactly did you uh think you were doing? Hmm? Or were you even thinking at all!" He boomed, waving his hands in the air. Jacob looked horrified, shrinking away from the Joker, but the Joker wouldn't let that happen.

" I-I'm s-sorry." He stuttered as the Joker grabbed onto his arm, his other hand twirling the knife dangerously close to his face.

The Joker cocked his head to the side, squinting his eyes in concentration as he gazed menacingly at the man before him, then abruptly, he let go and Jacob fell to the ground, panting heavily. The Joker placed his knife back into his pocket and stepped back, straightening his suit.

" Well since you apologized." He stated turning on his heel, back to stand with the same man he had been with before. Jacob managed to shakily get back to his feet, relief etched across his face. But that didn't last long.

There was a loud bang, and then Jacob's face contorted in pain before he fell to the floor, blood pooling around him. His breaths came out like gasps before they stopped all together, and everyone looked over to the Joker who was holding the same gun as earlier, a broad smile stretching his blood red lips.

" Eh. I changed my mind-_ah._" he said giggling as he lowered the gun to his side.

I wanted to laugh too, so I did. It started out soft and low, but grew louder and louder until I couldn't breath. Everything was blurry and I couldn't stand still, the room was spinning by at unremarkable speeds and I suddenly got nauseous. My laughs stopped, and my smile disappeared.

The Joker was looking at me funny, his head tilted to the side and a sly grin across his painted face. Once I stopped laughing, he motioned with his finger for me to come to him, but I couldn't move. I tried waling towards him but after one step, I was ready to fall apart.

My balance was gone, and my eyelids got heavy, leaving me ready to pass out. The Joker was still waiting and I finally found my voice.

" I can't. I ... Mister J." I slurred, swaying on my feet. I took one more step before I lost my footing and fell to the floor.

I was ready to hit the floor, and as I fell I thought of how comfortable the carpeted ground would feel. Maybe then I could go to sleep.

I hit something hard, but it wasn't the floor. Looking up through dizzy eyes, I saw the Joker. His white face paint and purple coat the only tell tale signs I could properly make out. Drunkenly, I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling.

" Ya caught me." I Beamed, happily. And he chuckled in response

" Come on Annabelle. Time for some uh sleep. Your gonna need it." He spoke, picking me up bridal style, and I just laid there in his arms as he walked out of the room and down the hall. He was saying something at this point, but I was too gone to hear it. Instead, I let my eyelids droop down until I was submerged in darkness, the last thought in my mind slowly fading away.

* * *

I felt like I had slept for mere minutes.

When I awoke, I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, and I was in a foreign room. This one looking bigger but more average looking than mine, but still it had that faint air of clown to it. Looking around, I tried to sit up, but was stopped by the throbbing in my head. I fell back onto the bed in a huff.

" Ow." I croaked, and my throat felt dry and cracked. Like I had thrown up, and I tried to remember if I had. I couldn't. Thinking about it, I couldn't remember much from the night before. I didn't know how I got here, or anything else that had happened after arriving home with the Joker.

Suddenly nervous, I managed to sit up, and slowly make my way out of the bed. My head was in agony, but I pushed forward nonetheless. I had to find the Joker and figure out what the hell was going on. My eyes swept the room for any signs of him, but came up empty. Frustrated I walked over to the wall length mirror resting against the wall to my left.

I was a mess.

My face was blotchy, with red spots everywhere, and my hair was disgustingly greasy. Not to mention my mouth was outlined with dried residue which I assumed was vomit. This disturbed me further. What _happened _last night? I tried to think but the effort hurt my head even more.

Suddenly, the door of the room swung open, and the bright light of the bathroom illuminated the space around me. Squinting slightly, I saw the figure standing in the doorway. It was the Joker.

He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, and his face paint. His green hair clung to she sides of his face in wet curls and framed his face cutely. But that was not what caught my attention.

I was once again dumbstruck by his flawless figure. His toned upper body, and even his legs were nicely sculpted. Tiny beads of water were covering his body making him even more gorgeous.

" Good morning sunshine." He practically screamed over to me and I winced in pain, throwing my hands over my ears. He laughed.

" Oww. You're too damn loud." I whined, but he just continued over to his dresser where he grabbed some clothes. I crossed my hands over my chest and made my way back over to the bed where I sat patiently, waiting for him to look at me. I needed to ask what the hell happened the night before.

Just as he grabbed his clothes, I figured he would go into the bathroom to change. I was wrong. All of a sudden he dropped the towel, and began to change, humming to himself in the process. Shocked, I gasped and looked away.

Then, he giggled.

I analyzed every crevice in the wall I was looking at thoroughly before I heard the Joker clear his throat from behind me. Hesitantly, I turned.

He was fully dressed, purple coat and all, but his damp hair still hung wetly on his head. I waited for him to say something, but he didn't. He just looked at me like he was expecting something to happen, but when nothing did, he smiled.

" Oh good. Your back!" he said happily, clapping his hands and bouncing over to the bed where he jumped, shaking the bed violently. I just rolled my eyes.

" What's that supposed to mean?" I asked curiously, eyeing him to see his reactions, but he was searching around in his pockets for something. I instantly stiffened. His hand reemerged from his pocket, but instead of being a knife like I had expected, it was a bottle of aspirin.

" Here." He said, handing me two pills, and I gladly swallowed them. The pain in my head remained, but hopefully, it would fade away. Doing all I could to end the pain, I looked up to the Joker waiting for the answer. He remained silent, getting up and heading for the door.

" Oh no no no." I said, jumping up and intercepting his path. " Tell me what happened last night." I demanded, stomping my foot like they did in the movies. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and giggled, tracing his bottom lip with his tongue.

" I uh Think I'll let you figure that one out on your own, darling. But here's a hint... I don't think I'll uh be givin you any Vodka any time soon. He he." He said, sidestepping me and opening the door.

" I'll uh be back soon, Just got some _business _to take care of." he said, his back to me. I didn't answer, I was too concentrated on trying to remember the previous night. I almost didn't hear the door close, but when It did I waited for the lock. I didn't hear it.

Confused, I crept towards the door, waiting for the sounds of his footsteps to disappear and then I turned the knob.

It worked. I was so happy, I could finally be free, only now I didn't want to.

Instead, I closed the door quietly and walked over to the bed. I rested my head against the pillow and yet again, tried to remember. He said something about Vodka, so I must have been drunk which explains the vomit and the memory loss, but what wasn't I remembering.

We came home, I remember that. Then we came in, and he brought me where? Wait. He brought me to a room I hadn't been before, I remember that. And then he left? Yes, he left and I was nervous. I remember being nervous so I started to drink. I started to drink but something was bothering me. Something was making me feel upset, which prompted me drinking even more but what was it.

The gaps in my memory slowly filled up. I remember the dancing, the men, Jacob. I even remember the mysterious man standing with the Joker. The shot, I remembered. Jacob's body on the ground I remembered, I even remembered leaning against the wall of the bathroom as I puked out all the contents in my stomach , but I couldn't remember why I had started drinking in the first place.

What could have made me so upset that I had to resort to drinking?

Was it something I did? Something I said? No. It was something I didn't do. I didn't _remember._

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Heavy bricks with needles sticking out very which way and stabbing me all over. I had forgotten, I had forgotten about Bruce. _Again._

That wasn't good. I was slipping away, I could feel it. Every second I was growing away from my best friend, all because I found something else I liked better. Danger. I liked this new thrill, this new adventure that I never experienced with Bruce. In actuality, this new feeling replaced the old feelings. But I didn't want the old feelings to go away.

Who gets to determine when the old ends and the new begins? It's not on the calendar, it's not a birthday, it's not a new year, it's an event --big or small, something that changes us, ideally it gives us hope, a new way of living and looking at the world, letting go of old habits, old memories. What's important is that we never stop believing we can have a new beginning, but it's also important to remember amid all the crap are a few things really worth holding on to.

Bruce Wayne was worth holding onto, or at least I hoped. He was Gotham's hero. Saving people from death everywhere in this city. But, what he didnt know would _kill _him inside. The sad truth is, you cant save the damsel if she loves her distress.

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:] I hope you liked it, and now i would like it for you to review. Give me your opinions and ideas please :] Thank you


	24. Trailer

A/N: Hey, I'm sorry i haven't updated in a while, and this really isnt an update, just a little preview on how the rest of the story is going to turn out, its kind of like a movie trailer because me and my beta reader have been working like crazy to fix up all of my previous chapters and this is my final week of school. I'm very psyched about that! Lol so anyway, i'll try to get an update out within a week, and to everyone who has reviewed, a big thanks, and i please ask that you continue.  
And here is my Teaser trailer of the rest of the story! Please enjoy!

* * *

_At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don't really expect it. It's like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it's not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away._

* * *

Gears start grinding. The engine overheats. That's how it all starts. Then, all of a sudden, you just snap. Just like a car, you breakdown. You're  
stuck in the badlands. Now you realize all the signs were there and you ignored them, completely undeterred by the inevitable. That's when you get confused. You felt this coming on, and did nothing to stop it, but you convince yourself it's not your fault. I mean, after all, this could happen to anyone...right?

* * *

I sat watching the moon fall over the horizon, the bright sunlight stretching its arms as dawn broke, and all I could do was think about everything that had happened in my life these last months. It seemed as though everything changed... and I liked it, though I knew I shouldnt have.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow, dearest. Still, you can't say we didn't show you a good time. Enjoy yourself out there... in the asylum. Just don't forget -- if it ever gets too tough... there's always a place for you here." He spoke giggling, and I stopped midstep turning to the side to face him.

* * *

I stare down at her, an evil gleam in my eyes and i can feel the venom in my mouth as i speak, her petrified form cringing heavily as i smile. " I look around at this world you're so eager to be a part of and all I see is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around, everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other, or just plain screwing their brains out 'cause they don't want 'em anymore. I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind, 'cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts. So if i'm crazy," I say strolling casually over to where she's tied, the knife dancing in my hand. I kneal down to eye level, sweetly caressing her cheek. "What the hell does that make you?"

* * *

God, he was sexy. Dark, dangerous, that sense of the untamed just barely suppressed below the surface....

It seemed only a second passed, so fast I didn't know how I got here and didn't even consider analyzing it. Joker was there, leaning against me, his arm so close to my head I could have curled into it if I had the guts. Bad enough that I couldn't breathe, speak, swallow or hear anything outside of my own painfully thudding heartbeat. I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights.

* * *

"Nice trick, sweetheart. You could teach old' batsy a thing or two about disappearing." He gigled, circling me predatorialy. I glared up at him as i pushed myslef up onto my knees, spitting out the blood in my mouth. " There's alot of things i taught ' old batsy' but _that _is certainly not one of them." I spat out, and the Joker caught my double meaning. One swing, and all was dark

* * *

You never know the biggest day of your life is the biggest day. Not until it's happening. You don't recognize the biggest day of your life, not until you're right in the middle of it. The day you commit to something or someone. The day you get your heart broken. The day you meet your soul mate. The day you realize there's not enough time, because you wanna live forever.

* * *

He was radical, different, and handsome. He was a psycho. That didn't, no doesn't change the way I feel about him. I love him. He got me. He understood where I was coming from and my feelings. Him making me kill those.. _people.._ was just his way of showing that understanding... Well I thought it was anyway. But even sometimes, I can be wrong.

* * *

I guess in the end, it all comes down to one thing. Luck. Either ya got it, or ya dont...

* * *

Da Da Daa. Please review. I haven't been getting very many lately.

"I should've made out a will or some shit before I did all this. I, Joker , of sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath upon Annabelle Mathews my middle finger. If I had had the foresight, that might've been a good idea. I think Annabelle would've been amused by it." Joker said to Himself as he laid his head against the hard brick wall of his cell.

* * *


	25. Freedom With Strings Attached

_A/N: FINALLY! A real update! Yay. lol I hope you enjoy this one, i really like it and i finally feel like my story can move. For a while, i felt like the chapters were all stuck, never moving forward, but this one, i feel, helps move the story along. did anyone else feel like my story was stuck for like 3 or 5 chapters? Anyway, thank you for all the lovely reviews i got for the trailer, they really made me smile! I just have to ask, was there any specific quote in that trailer that really caught your eye? If so, tell me :] Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, and the rest of my story. AS always, Review!  
Disclaimer: Dont Own the Joker or Lovely Bruce Wayne, Just Annabelle._

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_Freedom is not something that anybody can be given. Freedom is something people take, and people are as free as they want to be._

_- James Baldwin_

A day passed, followed by another, then another. The Joker had been back, taking me out to roam the building, but when I was brought back, the door was never locked. I guess he was showing this as a way of trusting me, or testing my loyalty, either way I didn't mind.

Knowing I could leave whenever I wanted was appealing, although the thought never entered my mind. In a strange, twisted way I enjoyed spending time with the Joker and his men. It was surprisingly _fun._

As the days passed I made new relationships with a few of his men. Two stood out in particular.

The first guy was Caleb. He was about my age, with straight blonde hair that went down to his chin. His eyes were the deepest blue I had ever seen, which is what first got me talking to him. After that first awkward conversation about his eyes, our friendship began.

He was a college dropout who loved to paint, it was his secret obsession, but other than that he had no other skills, well other than killer aim. He joined ranks with the Joker a few months back and had been loyal to him ever since.

The next guy I grew close to was Trey. And the Joker was not too fond of it. Not One bit. Whenever he caught us talking, he would glare our way, or pull me away all together, but his sign of what I assumed to be jealousy made me laugh.

Trey was the Joker's right hand man. It was he who the Joker trusted completely with everything. And I mean _everything._ He even knew the Joker's name, which was a shock to me. It was hard to believe he had a life before being the Joker but I guess he had to huh?

Trey was the man I had seen the night I was drunk, and ever since that day, he joked about it to me. And although at first i was put off by his constant jokes, I got used to it. I mean, I had to. The first day the Joker toured me around the giant mansion, Trey had emerged from a room and smiled our way, laughing when he saw me. And surprisingly, the Joker had no problem with it.

Ever since then though, Trey and I had grown close, a little too close for the Joker's liking but he never said a word. After all, Trey was the closest thing to a friend the Joker had. And even then, _friend _was a relative term.

It had been two weeks since the Joker brought me here, and on the eve of the 15th day, the Joker burst into my room, a Cheshire cat grin on his face. I eyed him suspiciously.

He ran into the room, smashing the door against the wall, leaving a hole. He was breathing heavily, and was leaning over, his hands placed on his knees. I uncrossed my legs, jumping up from my place on the bed and walked to him, placing a hand on his back.

" What's going on?" I asked him between laughs. He just looked so funny. Sometimes I forgot he was a murdering criminal.

" Turn on the TV." he said out of breath, and I looked over to the ancient television set confused, but walked over and switched it on never the less. The image was faint, and came in and out of focus, but at least it turned on. I wouldn't have been surprised if it didn't turn on at all.

The Joker appeared behind me silently, winding one arm around my waist on the other switching the stations on the television, finding the one he wanted. It was Channel Nine news.

Both surprised and confused, I turned around to look at him, hoping to find some resolve in his sudden interest in the news, but his eyes were glued to the screen. They were big and round, the brown depths swirling with excitement, and when he caught me watching him, he motioned with his hand to the screen, not uttering a single word.

Deciding I might as well obey, I turned back to the screen watching wearily.

And then, _he _came on the screen. My best friend.

He was making a speech in some conference. Commissioner Gordon was at his side, and Bruce looked like he hadn't slept in days, his eyes were droopy and full of sadness. I tried to hear what he was saying, but the volume was too low. I reached out to the television, turning up the volume, completely mesmerized, and the Joker pulled me back against his chest, readying me.

"… I'm just asking for my best friend back. She's been gone for two weeks now, and we need to find her. If the Joker is listening, I'm willing to do anything in my power to get Annabelle back. Please…" I watched Bruce say, his voice cracking and full of sadness. I felt my eyes cloud over with water and I struggled to keep the tears from falling. Joker whispered into my ear.

" Unless he can produce batman, I'm pretty sure uh _nothing _he can do will get you back." He whispered darkly, ending it with a dry laugh. How ironic. I gulped audibly, my throat stinging with unshed tears as I continued listening to my best friend practically _beg _for me back.

" If anyone knows anything, please come forward. I need my best friend back." he said, ending his speech. And I could see the tear falling down his cheek. One escaped my eyes as well. Commissioner Gordon stepped up to the podium, muttered a few words, and left, the screen going back to the news caster.

The Joker unwound his arm, walked to the TV and shut it off, sighing happily in content. His smile wide and full of amusement. I, on the other hand, was anything but happy. Instead, I was full of sadness and guilt for my best friend.

The Joker was watching me, but I refused to meet his gaze. Some part of me resented the Joker at that moment. He took me away from Bruce, and now Bruce was suffering. I wasn't mad at him for taking me, but for causing hurt to Bruce.

I couldn't hold them in any longer. The tears that had been threatening to fall finally did, and I let them. I put my head in my hands and sat back on the bed, crying out the sadness I held, and the Joker cocked his head to the side, advancing toward me. His eyes no longer were filled with excitement, but more annoyance.

" Shh shh shh." He said soothingly, pulling my hands away from my face. I still wouldn't meet his eyes and this seemed to angered him further.

" Look at me Annabelle." He commanded, bending down to meet my gaze, I still tried to look away but he grabbed my chin roughly, holding my face in place.

" Now tell me what has made my little Marionette upset." He spoke curiously, searching my eyes for the answer. I didn't want to respond. How could I tell him how I felt, without seeming weak?

I shook my head, trying to dismiss the subject. I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to calm myself down. There was no point in crying, no point in tears. They were too tiring and too messy a thing to deal with. And they showed great weakness.

The Joker moved his hand from my chin, down my neck and back up, moving it into my messy blonde locks. He kept it there for a moment, before grabbing a fist full of hair and picking me up from the bed.

" Annabelle. I'm not going to ask _again._ Wha-**t. **is. Wrong-_ah_." He seethed dangerously and I whimpered softly in pain. I might as well tell him now.

" Its Bruce." I whispered sadly, sniffling once. I saw the Joker's face twist into a sarcastic grin, and then scoff as he threw me to the ground laughing.

" What about that playboy wannabe makes you upset, darling?" He asked condescendingly. Laughing darkly in the process. Angered by his comment, I rose to my feet, my blood boiling.

He had begun pacing throughout the room, and as I got up, he turned back to me.

" He's my best friend. I love him and when I see him as sad as he is, it makes me sad! Is that so bad? I'm sorry if that's a god damn inconvenience for you!" I spoke frantically, acid seething out of my voce. The Joker took a second to react, and when he did, a broad smile crept across his features.

He ran toward me, pulling me tightly against him as he pressed his lips aggressively against mine. At first, I was overcome with surprise but quickly recovered and kissed back just as passionately, my anger leaving my body as quickly as it came. And a second, I thought about how moody I had become now that I met the Joker. Ha, i guess he_ was _rubbing off on me.

After a few minutes, the kiss broke and we fought to catch our breathe. He giggled once and spoke. " That's my girl." And I knew what he meant.

I smiled briefly before I began thinking about Bruce again and sensing the sadness looming in the air, he lightly touched his gloved fingers against my lips. " I'm sorry." I breathed, and his smile curved downward, as much as was capable.

" I have two rules." he spoke, his voice getting angrier by the word. "Two rules you have to abide by, ya got me? Never cry. Ever. And never say you're sorry. I can't uh think of a _worse _way to die. And I know all the bad ways. Inside and out. My dear Marionette, what I hate more than _everything, _is apologies."

That confession from a man that **never **confessed… it killed me.

I stared up at him in wonder, but nodded in consent, and watched his smile reappear on his painted face.

" Good." He said happily, patting my head like a little child. I rolled my eyes up at him, pulling him closer by the lapels of his jacket. Our lips met briefly before he pulled away, skipping off toward the door.

Sighing, I spoke, situating myself on the bed comfortably. " Where you off to now?" I asked him, and he turned halfway to me, still headed for the door.

" I wont be long." Was his only response as he left the room.

I shrugged my shoulder's and looked around the room for something to do. I could leave the room, but neither Caleb nor Trey were around today. It was their day off, which they kept having more of lately, and I didn't feel like wandering the house any more.

Bored, I walked over to the mirror, fixing up myself as best I could. I was becoming increasingly worried about my appearance while around the Joker and I always found things wrong with myself. As I looked into the mirror, my blonde hair hanging in curls framing my face and cascading down below my shoulders. My green eyes were bright and vibrant, but they were missing the dark eyeliner that usually surrounded them.

My outfit consisted of a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, and an old band tee. Very comfortable and very me. But that still left me feeling insecure. I played with the way my shirt hung for a while before huffing loudly and walking back towards my spot on the bed.

The nail polish on my fingers were chipping so I concentrated on that for a while before being overcome by the boredom and throwing my hands down onto the bed loudly.

" There's nothing to do!" I whined, falling backwards on a pillow. I laid like that for a few minutes, tapping my fingers against the comforter and making random rhythms with my hands.

Finally, I shot up and looked towards the television, feeling drawn to it. I knew that if I turned it on, I would fall into a downward spiral of sadness, but the curiosity was killing me.

Cautiously, I got up and crept toward the television, watching the blank screen suspiciously. Slowly, I moved my hand in the direction of the power button and pressed it on, the screen lighting up faintly.

They were showing the speech over and over again, and I watched it replay itself over and over. Hearing Bruce's heartfelt plea hurt me more than I could ever have imagined, and I knew I had to see him. I had to apologize, I needed to make things right. I mean, he would understand… wouldn't he?

Watching the screen play itself over and over, I made up my mind. I had to get to Bruce.

* * *

The Joker came bounding into the room a half hour later, and that half hour was all I needed to make up my mind. Bruce needed to know I was okay, and I myself needed to get out of here.

He was humming to himself as he came over to my spot on the windowsill where I had moved to. I had been twirling my hair in my fingers and watching the outside world pass by. But as the Joker came in, my head snapped to the Clown in the room.

He was carrying something in his hands, and I soon realized it was a human hand. A _severed _human hand, missing the rest of it's body. Never the less, I shrieked and stupidly spoke. " What is that!?"

My voice was high pitched, and the Joker held it up, showing me what I already knew it was.

" Ohh." I spoke, my voice trailing off until it stopped altogether. He walked to the dresser, throwing the hand down onto it, and came back to me, pulling me up against his side.

His mood seemed light and amused, so I took a deep breath and turned to him, hoping he wouldn't get too mad. I had to leave, he must have known I couldn't stay here forever, but that doesn't mean this is the end.

" Mr. J.." I started, staring down at my hands, and I felt him shift next to me, looking down on me with those deep brown eyes.

" Yessssss?" He replied simply, waiting.

Gathering my courage, I pulled away from Joker, crossing my arms across my chest and continued.

" I need to see Bruce." I spoke strongly, my voice even and level, never faltering. He giggled once, running his hand through his greased green locks, and spoke. " Need to, or want to."

" Need to." I spoke sternly, hoping he'd see my point and let me leave. He didn't.

" Hmm. Isn't that something. You _need _to see little ol' Brucey. Why should I let ya do that-_ah_? So you can run to the cops and be a little tattle tale?" His voice was dark and evil, causing me to take a step back.

" I won't. But he's my best friend. I need to see him, and haven't you gained my trust yet? You've left the door unlocked numerous times and I haven't left once. I haven't _wanted _to leave and I still don't _want _to leave. But you can't keep me locked in here. How are you supposed to trust me if you never give me the opportunity." I tried to reason, holding my breath as I waited for his reply.

During my little rant, the Joker's expression changed from an excited grin, to an evil smirk, and I awaited his wrath.

" So you've noticed have you? Hmm, _very _interesting. That tells me that you have tried-_ah_ to leave me." He growled, pushing me back against the wall. The Joker's purple form towered over me as I stood in silence. Too worried to say a word. He already had his mind set, and nothing I said would change his mind.

" I haven't" I spoke defeated, " Why would I? Why would I want to go back out to that corrupt world full of ignorant nobody's living by society's rules. They don't understand, and they never will, but you do." I couldn't believe I was saying this to him, after all, how would he react to this sudden outburst of emotion. Emotion that wasn't hate or anger?

The Joker slid his hand up my arm and back down methodically, thinking. And then he grabbed it roughly, pulling me along behind him. I had no idea what was going on, but I decided not to say anything. Whatever it was, struggling wouldn't be good.

He brought me through the hallway and down the stairs. Pass the rooms holding his men, and back to those same doors I had seen days before. The doors to freedom.

Opening the door, he pushed me out of it, with him standing in the doorway, and me on the outside. " Don't Disappoint, Annabelle." He warned, eyeing me devilishly.

" I wont." I replied, victory overcoming me. I turned on my heel to begin my journey back home when I was suddenly hit with a realization.

" Wait, how do I get back home?" I asked concerned, and by the look on his face, I knew I wouldn't soon find out.

" I think you can figure that one out on your own, Darling." he spoke through laughs, and I turned on my heel annoyed. I stormed angrily down the driveway and when I met the gate, I took one glance behind me to the mansion where the Joker still stood in its doorway. The way he stood against the frame, as if he was any other normal citizen of Gotham, caused my anger with him to subside, and a new thought to enter my mind.

After finding Bruce, and straightening things out with both him and the god forsaken media, I would have to get him something, a little _surprise._ And I knew exactly what it would be. I was suddenly overcome with the feeling to do my best not to disappoint him, if anything, I wanted him to be proud, and as his Marionette, I would make sure that happened.

Smiling, I turned back around and walked the rest of the way to freedom.

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Okay, so that is the chapter I am FINALLY getting out. Please review like you all have been doing. I know its not great, but i still love to hear from you all, even if the reviews aren't the best. Just let me know how i'm doing. Kay? :]


	26. Blind Spots, Bats, and Epiphany's

_A/N: Helloooo. How's everyone doing? I hope your all enjoying my story, and if you are, please let me know :] My mission is to make it to 100 reviews by the next chapter so make my dream come true :] Please Enjoy the next installmentttt_

_Disclaimer: Don't own Mistah J or Batsy or Jon Dillinger for that matter... wish i did.._

_The trouble with the future is, that it usually arrives when you least expect it._

_- Arnold H. Glasgow_

You know when you were a little kid, and you loved going to the carnival. There was always that one activity your parents would make you do, and reluctantly you would join them cause you knew it would get them off your back? And It always seemed to be the worst attraction at the park? I did, and with my parents, it was always the glass maze.

You would walk aimlessly for what seemed like eternity, trying to find your way out. And ever step you took you felt closer and closer to freedom. You could even see the exit, but of course you could. You were in a maze of glass, and that was its deceit.

Everything looked the same, and you never knew which way was the right way, and which way would leave you walking face first into a glass wall.

That's exactly what it felt like trying to find my way back into the center of Gotham City, minus the throbbing headache. Although if it took much longer, I'm sure one would arise.

The sun beat down on my small body, and I found myself struggling to continue. The open spaces beside me were empty and deserted, reminding me of an old western movie. This was a side of Gotham I had never seen before, and I started to wonder if this was even Gotham at all.

Then, as I felt I would collapse, I caught a glimpse of a parking lot, followed by buildings. Eventually, after pushing myself to the extreme, I managed to find myself within the city I had called my home.

Suddenly full of an unknown source of happiness, I pushed myself to the edge, running full speed into the center of the city, and over to Wayne Tower's. The streets were bustling with people talking on their cell phones and enjoying the sunny day, and non of them seemed to notice me frantically running towards the Buildings entrance.

I knew that unless I wanted to get caught, I had to act more calm and collected, but I couldn't help myself. I was finally going to be reunited with my best friend, the only person keeping me somewhat grounded in this macabre world.

I composed my self slightly as the doors came in sight, tucking a stray blond lock behind my ear before pushing through the revolving doors, and I was suddenly reminded of the first time I had stepped into the lobby, almost two and a half weeks ago.

Slipping silently to the elevator, I kept my eyes down onto the marble floors, still looking as clean and beautiful as ever, and pressed the button awaiting the long awaited ding of the doors to open. When it did, my face fell slightly as I was followed in by two other people, a man and a women.

I pressed my floor number first, and seeing the number pressed, and knowing exactly who resided at the top floor, they snuck curious glances my way. I tried to pay no attention to it, but found myself growing angrier by the second. These people just couldn't stay out of other peoples business could they?

The first to leave was the man, and at his stop, nobody boarded the elevator. This left an uncomfortable silence between myself, and I nosey women next to me.

I tried my best to find other things to concentrate on, like the image of Bruce's face as I entered his penthouse. How alive and happy it would look in contrast to his prior somber mood. I hoped he would be pleased.

We were mere floors away from my destination when the women beside my cleared her throat and spoke up, her voice low and shaky, but filled with untamed curiosity.

" So, what brings you to see Bruce Wayne?" She asked skeptically, her black rimmed glasses sliding down her nose. Her deep blue eyes bore into mine deeply, and in a flash, a flicker of recognition lightened her features.

" Oh my god. You're that girl who went missing!" She exclaimed, pushing her glasses up higher onto her nose, trying to get a better look, but I turned the other way. " No. I-I don't know what your talking about. I'm just meeting him to discuss business. I don't even know who you are referring to." I said wrapping my arms around myself and staring anxiously at the elevator doors.

" Are you sure? I could have sworn you look just like the girl on the news-" I interrupted her quickly. " Well your wrong." I snapped just in time. The elevator doors swung open and I stepped out graciously, never looking back as I stepped quietly down the hallway. The door's closed silently behind me and I let my arms drop to my sides, relieved.

The penthouse was quiet, and I wondered where everyone had gone. Alfred was usually busying himself with some form of cleaning, or he was helping Bruce out by doing research for Batman, but I hoped that today he would have been here. That way I could surprise them with my arrival. No matter the seemingly bad news that came with it.

I continued my search throughout the penthouse, and it was deserted. Everything was in perfect condition, as if nobody had been here in ages, and that left a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. If Bruce wasn't here, I didn't have a clue where else he would be.

My sneakers made little noise as they pattered against the floor, but they echoed loudly due to the deafening silence, and I was growing more and more upset by the second. After checking within all the guestrooms, I moved onto the last bedroom. Bruce's.

It was a rather plain room. Nothing significant design wise, and there was no need to. He spent very little time in it anyway, and when he did, his eyes were hidden behind the walls of his eyelids. Visual appeal was essentially unnecessary.

The room was relatively dark as I entered, the curtains pulled tightly across the windows allowing little light in, and I enjoyed the dark. Things made more sense when they were in darkness, nothing could catch you off guard. And everything seemed to fall in place. Or maybe it was that they made less sense and I was beginning to understand how much more sense that made.

I faintly heard what sounded like footsteps, but in seconds they disappeared, and I continued searching the room for any signs of my best friend.

His bed was neatly made, the sheets looking like they hadn't been slept in, in days. His dresser was free of any clothes or other items that usually cluttered the area, and his floor was spotless, not the normal disarray Bruce left behind. Something just didn't seem right.

I traced my hand over his freshly made bed as I made my way over to the window, pulling the drapes open loudly. The noise alerted me, along with someone else.

" Hold on Alfred, I heard something." I heard a familiar voice say from down the hallway, and in a second the door was open and I heard him walk in from behind.

" Who's there?" He questioned, his voice serious but weathered. A smiled in spite of myself and turned slowly, not saying a word.

His expression changed rapidly. First, it was furrowed in confusion, then a look of relief flashed across his face, and then finally happiness. I felt him grab me tightly, lifting me off the ground in a tight embrace, and I held him back, finally reunited with my best friend.

I felt hot tears falling onto my shoulder, and my eyes began welling up with tears in response.

" Bruce. Its so great to finally see you again." I told him, my voice cracking from tears. He squeezed me tightly once before settling me down onto my feet, his hands going to my cheeks. " You have no idea how much I've missed you Annabelle. But I need to know, did he hurt you? How did you get here? How did you get away?" His questions came fast and I chuckled once.

" Not so fast Bruce, one at a time."

" Sorry Belle. Lets talk over here." he said, walking me over to the bed and sitting us down on the edge. He turned his body to me and his eyes were full of vengeance, and I didn't want him to unleash it on who I knew he was prepared to release it on.

He placed his hand on my arm and spoke. " Did he hurt you?" His tone was full of worry and hate, and I moved my eyes from his, fixing them on the window.

" Define hurt." I managed to say and he misunderstood my avoidance of the question.

" Don't worry Annabelle. He won't be able to hurt you again, I'll make sure of it." he was confident in his words and my eyes snapped up to meet his. " You can't kill him Bruce." I told him, and his eyes widened in surprise before narrowing.

" That wasn't what I had meant. I could never stoop down to his level Annabelle but what are you trying to say?" He was confused, that much I could tell, and I was afraid to give him an answer. Sighing softly, I turned to him, holding his hands in mine.

" When I was with the Joker, things were… different-" I started but Bruce placed his finger over my mouth silencing me. " You don't have to explain anything B. I know it must have been awful, but you don't have to explain anything to me." He soothed, moving his finger to grab a piece of stray hair and tuck it behind my ear and I shook my head in exasperation.

He just wasn't getting it, and he wasn't even letting me explain!

" No that's not it Bruce!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands against the comforter loudly and pushing myself onto my feet. I began pacing when Alfred rushed in. " What's all the commotion ab-" He started but he stopped abruptly when he saw me. A smile spread across his face and he too ran to give me a hug. I was overjoyed to see him as well, and wrapped my arms around his aging figure.

" You're back." He said, releasing me, and I nodded, not quite able to speak.

Alfred made his way over to Bruce who had his eyes glued onto me. The bright blue filled with pain, curiosity, and other mixed emotions all rolled into one. I hated to be the one to break his newly happy spirit, but I had to.

" Bruce. The joker didn't hurt me." I said to him but he raised his eyebrows skeptically eyeing me up and down. " Well that's a lie. He did hurt me, but that isn't the point. What matter's now is you know I'm okay. You don't have to hold this burden on your shoulders that something terrible has happened to me and that its all your fault."

" What burden?" he asked, rising from the bed. " What has happened to you due to the Joker, or the fact that it was my fault that got you taken?" His voice was anxious ad I answered.

" Both." and I could easily tell he didn't understand my response. This was going to be harder than I thought.

" Don't feel to blame. There was nothing you could do to save me. And to tell you the truth, after those initial first days, there wasn't much to save me from." My voice was soft a pleading. Hoping he'd understand without me having to say the words I didn't want to hear myself say.

I'm not crazy. I know the way I feel is wrong. The Joker isn't anything close to good hearted or moral. He isn't nice or genuine or kind. He just is the way he is. He just does things and he doesn't give a damn who he upsets. He actually does things to get people upset. To hurt people. And I get that killing is wrong.

But there is something about it that is oh so right.

He's see's things in a different way. A way I now can see things too, but that doesn't make me brainwashed. I know the way he thinks is radical, different, and highly frowned upon but I fit in with that. No matter how hard I try not to.

I just had to _embrace the darkness._ And that's what I chose to do. It's nobody's fault but my own.

"You're making no sense B. It almost sounds like your trying to defend the freak. The Joker was holding you hostage and yet there was nothing to save you from? What does that mean?" His voice was borderline annoyed at this point, and I couldn't blame him.

" I mean," I said, using my hands to speak, a nervous habit I had picked up from you know who, " The Joker was not hurting me. We were actually beginning to get along. He's really not that bad once you get to know him, once you listen to what he has to say.." I trailed and in an instant Bruce's expression looked horrified.

Scoffing once, he spoke. " Why should I listen to what he has to say, when's he's blowing people up left and right. Nowhere is that okay Annabelle. He's playing you, don't fall for his games because that's exactly what this is to him. A _game_." His voice was anger, and he had every right to be. I was making a big mistake in his eyes, but my rational side wasn't exactly the one in charge at that point.

" I'm not saying you have to like it Bruce, but how dare you say that to me! I'm not some _game._ This isn't some joke to him. Life is a joke, and I finally get that now. He has shown me a different way of thinking and although it is hard to comprehend, I get it."

" Annabelle stop-"

" No you stop Bruce!" I exploded. " You can't control me Bruce. I'm not the same little girl I used to be. I'm a grown woman now, and just because you don't agree with how I am, that gives you no right to be angry with me. The decision has been made and it has nothing to do with you. You can't change me into something I don't want to be." I fimed, my anger getting the best of me, but once I had let it all out, I instantly regretted it. Bruce looked both devastated and hurt, and although anger still lingered in his eyes, he was done with the arguing.

" I'm not trying to control you B. You know that. I love you, always have always will, no matter what. I just know you, and I know the Joker. You love the idea of change, and this is new and exciting for you. You feel special and empowered but soon you'll regret it. You'll get bored and move on, if your lucky enough for that. The Joker is the same way. If your right about the Joker, about _wanting _you around, then soon he _won't _want you around. He'll want a change in scenery if you know what I mean, and he'll dispose of you in one way or another. I just don't want to see my best friends face on the news as the latest Joker victim."

His speech brought tears to my eyes because somewhere deep down, I knew he was right though I didn't want to admit it to myself.

" I can take care of myself." I mumbled looking down at my hands, and I felt Bruce's strong arms wrap themselves around me as I silently cried out the tears I had been holding in.

" I know you can B. You always have, but you can't expect to watch on the sidelines as he pushes you farther into madness, I love you too much. You can always do what you wan, but I'll be there waiting in the wings for him to slip up, because he will." His voice was confident as he held me tight. We shared this moment as minutes passed by and I eventually composed myself.

Wiping away one last tear, I cleared my throat and spoke.

" I'd like it if we kept this between us Bruce. I don't need a media frenzy at my door shoving a microphone down my throat." I said with a dry laugh and he shook his head, smiling.

" I won't say a word but they'll have to know eventually." He said as we walked out of the room and down the hall. Alfred had left during our silent moment and was busying himself with cleaning.

" They will. But when I'm ready. Right now though, I could _really _use some sleep." I said searching through my pockets for the keys I knew I didn't have. Bruce saw this and pulled a silver set of keys from his suit pocket.

" I kept a pair, just in case." he spoke, handing me the keys. I smiled and kissed him once on the cheek, letting myself out of his penthouse. Bruce walked me to the elevators and waited for me to get in.

" I'm glad your back Annabelle." He said, and I could hear the emotion behind it, I smiled, trying to make light of the situation.

" Even given the circumstances?" I asked with a laugh and he rolled his eyes at my joke. " Yes. Even given the circumstances." We both shared a look, a look filled with love and I was overcome with a memory from a classic movie.

_There's no place like home._

And Dorothy was right, there's no place like home.

The elevator rang and opened up quickly a floor below, and I hurriedly made my way to the door of my old home, it felt like ages had gone by since I had been here. Opening it quickly, I was greeted by the chill of the air conditioner.

Shaking slightly, I raced to the bedroom, awaiting the comfort of the warm bed but as I opened the door, my breath hitched in my throat.

There, sprawled out on the bed was the clown himself. And I got same feeling of happiness flood through me, a bright and shiny air filled the room replacing the precios one felt upstairs, and my mind began to race, suddenly having an epiphany.

Many people don't know that the human eye has a blind spot in its field of vision. There is a part of the world that we are literally blind to. The problem is, sometimes our blind spots shield us from things that really shouldn't be ignored. Sometimes our blind spots keep our lives bright and shiny.

Before coming back to Bruce, i had been blind to the real problem, the one Bruce had helped me uncover. I was so ready to give in to the Joker, that I had looked over the most crucial of all his flaws. But as I watched him now, a smile making its way across my lips, I wasn't sure if this was a feeling really worth giving up, even if it meant losing myself.

But sooner or later we have to wake up. The world isn't bright and shiny, no matter how hard we try to make it that way. There's always an obstacle we have to overcome, and its those obstacles that make living worth while.

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Hoped you enjoyed it, and please, review :] I love 'em and remember my goal? Well if you might have forgoten, its to reach 100 reviews :] So help the cause and add to my charity!!

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	27. Old Habits Die Hard Or Not At All

_A/N: I'VE REACHED 100 REVIEWS YAY! lol Thank you all SO much who reviewed, and please continue :] They show me that people really like the story, and not just that people are reading casue they are bored. If you really like this story, please review it, and the chapters will come out quicker just like this one :] It usually takes me a week, but this week, it only took me like 4 days!! WOOT. Anyway, this is a bit shorter than my other chapters, but i think it's pretty good :] BTW, I have a few interesting twists i want to ask you about at the bottom!! lol_

_Disclamier: As always, i do not own any characters other than Annabelle Mathews. :[_

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_Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. _

_ -St. Augustine _

I stood in silence, waiting for The Joker as he jumped up from the bed and bounced over to my place in the doorway. His Cheshire Cat Grin was stretched across his face as he skipped toward me, humming along the way.

" Long time no uh _see._" He remarked casually, sliding his tongue over his blood red lips. I smiled wearily, moving around him to the light switch on the wall. Flicking the lights on, I turned to see him directly in front of me. I couldn't stop the low gasp that escaped my lips before recovering quickly, searching through my clouded mind for something to say.

But before I could form any words, the Joker pinned me against the wall, his hands gripping my arms tightly. Leaning into my ear, the Joker's breath blew across my face holding a hint of mint and spoke.

" Hi works just _fine._" He said darkly into my ear before his high pitched giggle lightened the sinister mood. Letting go of my arms, he began walking around the room, analyzing everything.

" Really nice uh setup ya got here sweets. I almost-_ah _for_got._" He mused, turning to face me. I had slowly removed myself from the wall, not from fear but _fascination. _Eyeing me up and down, he smacked his lips together loudly and clapped once, rushing to stand before me.

" I've been-_ah _thinking-" He started, but I cut him off with a laugh. Moving to step around him as I spoke.

" Ooo. The clown thinks! Ha-ha." As soon as the words left my mouth, the Jokers hand flew to my arm, grabbing tightly as the flick of his switchblade caught my ears. Stopping nervously, I stared down to his right hand where the blade lay, and the Joker's voice broke through my gaze.

" Don't-_ah _interrupt." The words cut through the air like glass and I instantly nodded my head, shifting my gaze slowly to meet his eyes. They were black orbs, but instantly softened as his grip slipped from my arm.

" As I was saying before I was so was so uh _rudely _interrupted, I have uh been thinking about the previous a-_range-_ment we had made, and I think it is in _need _of a little reworking-_ah._ Actually, I think we should uh just _toss _it out of the window." He spoke giddily, moving his hands in a figurative throwing motion by the end. His giggles brought on a round of my own, though I had no clue what was funny.

" What do you mean… by 'Toss it out the window'?" I asked after a moment's pause, not fully understanding where his mind was taking him. And after an exasperated sigh, the Joker answered.

" I _mean_ why let you come back here, then uh take you _all _the way back-_ah_. Why not give the uh _media _their front page story. I can see the headline-_ah _now. ' Joker's hostage lives to tell her tale!' It'll give you your little uh five minutes of _fame._ And give _me _a chance to really show this city how uh bad-_ah _I _can_ be."

" But where does that leave me?" I asked dejectedly. Suddenly filled with a feeling I couldn't quite place. Rejection maybe?

" That, my sweet-_ah _marionette, leaves you free. Do what you uh _wish_, but don**'t** think I'm going any_where. _There's _no _denying it. You're uh _different _now. All. Because. Of me. How could I _possibly _uh leave you alone after _everything _I've taught you about this cruel unjust world? Why, that would be plain _irresponsible _of me_._" He spoke with pride as a smug smile slipped onto his painted face, and my face cheered up as well.

He wasn't going to leave me.

But although he wasn't going to leave me, I still felt an uneasiness lingering in the pit of my stomach at the fact that for a second I was _worried _he would leave me. As if him leaving me, would be a bad thing. How could it?

I'd be free, just like he said. I could live a somewhat normal life, being with my best friend Bruce, and eventually beginning to fit in with the crowd I had once found myself accustomed to being around. But I knew that was never what I had wanted, and deep down, I knew it all along.

I had been lying to myself, trying to fit myself in with the people I had learned to hate. It was really quite simple. All they cared about was money, something that, in a flash, could be easily taken away and then what? What would they do once their trust funds ran out?

They'd drop dead, that's what would happen.

I wasn't like them, I wasn't _normal,_ and neither was he. Finally I had met someone, an equal, that could bring out everything I had been hiding away. And maybe I was hiding it all away for a good reason. Being like this, not feeling remorse, guilt, empathy, maybe that was a bad thing. Killing wasn't good, but it made me _feel _good and that's all that mattered.

And if the Joker were to let me go, let me _free,_ then what would stop me from reverting to my old ways, old habits? I would continue to try and fit myself into society's box of right and wrong, closing myself off from the truth.

I would continue to hold that small false hope of righteousness for the world. Righteousness that I now knew never existed, and it never could.

People lie. People cheat. People scheme. Everyone's looking out for themselves, and they all try to hide it. Why would _anyone _want to be a part of that? I knew I didn't. But with the Joker gone, I wouldn't have a _choice._ I'd be considered crazy if I didn't follow society's strict rules, but with the Joker by my side, I had someone else who would understand.

We're all liars, no matter how hard we try to deny it.

I guess the rule is, _everyone_ is a liar until proven honest. Lying is bad. Or so we are told constantly from birth—honesty is the best policy, the truth shall set you free, I chopped down the cherry tree, whatever. The fact is, lying is a necessity. We lie to ourselves because the truth, the truth freaking hurts. And that pain keeps us from opening our eyes, and seeing the world as it should be seen.

As one, big joke.

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How could she talk like this, act like this, _think _like this. He had to have done something to her.

There was no way she would willingly choose to revert back to her old ways, after everything she has done to leave that past behind. It just made absolutely no sense. She came to Gotham for _change, _and I was more than willing to help her through the hard times she was going through, after all, I loved her.

And after everything I've done for her, she decides to throw it all away on that freak!

I was pacing back and forth across my bedroom, the drapes pulled tightly across the window letting no light in. I took a swig of the brandy I had been clutching tightly in my hand, and closed my eyes as the calming liquid traveled down my throat, my mind momentarily relaxing.

Annabelle was back. My best friend was returned to me, only now, she wasn't my best friend. She was someone… else. Someone who hijacked her body and replaced her mind with their own. And the only person I could blame was the Joker.

If he hadn't taken her, brainwashed her. She'd still be mine. My best friend, the friend I may secretly care for a little too much, but none of that mattered now. What mattered was the fact that I had to do _everything _in my power to bring her back.

Their was a knock at the door as Alfred came in, a look of worry creasing his face.

" Master Wayne, may I have a word?" He asked, his Accent making his voice sound even more proper than it already was.

" You may." I said to him, ushering him into the room fully. He walked toward me, looking down at the ground as he walked before stopping a few feet in front of me. He gaze shifted to mine as he spoke.

" As much as I too disapprove of the decision young Annabelle has made recently, I feel that you being her best friend can't hold this against her. She needs you now more than ever, though she may not fully realize it yet. And the best way to get her to understand you, is to try to understand where she is coming from first." He spoke softly, shifting his weight slightly.

I closed my eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of my nose in anger, though it was not at Alfred, but the Girl ten feet below.

" I do understand where she's coming from Alfred. Its coming from that madman. He brainwashed her into thinking this way!" I fumed, taking another large gulp from the brandy.

" Now we both know that Annabelle's mind is too strong to be brainwashed Master Wayne. She obviously felt something similar to this before she met him. He only heightened it." He countered, and I finished off my glass, turning to the small bar to retrieve another glass full.

After filling the glass I turned to him, angry.

" So you think she already _wanted _to be a monster?!" I shot at him, but he was quick with his reply.

" No Master Wayne, but don't forget, she has killed before. This isn't something new to her-"

" But she didn't mean to." I interrupted, and he raised his hand to silence me.

" I know that. But there is obviously something inside her that agrees with what the Joker is saying. And maybe it's not only his way of thinking that brings her to him. Maybe she feels something between the two of them that we can't very well see."

" Can't you see that, that's all apart of his plan? He's going to bring her close, just so its that much funnier when he kills her! And she won't even try to stop him though I know that she could. She'll fall helpless for his spell." I said, my anger mixing quickly with worry and anxiousness. I had the sudden urge to scour the city for this man and bring him down. Though not kill him. Never, he doesn't deserve to go out like the smug bastard he would be if Batman brought him to his end.

" But if that happens, and you haven't pushed her away like you have been planning on doing, then you will be there to save her. All I'm trying to say is give her a chance. Let us see how things are before you rush in with the cavalry." He soft voice spoke. And I sighed in defeat. What he was saying did make sense, though I didn't want it to.

I wanted to be mad. Mad at her for being too weak to realize the fact that she's being played like a puppet. Mad at the Joker for taking my best friend away. Mad at myself for letting it all happen.

Defeated I replied. " Your Right Alfred." He smiled slightly.

" Always am Master Wayne. Always am." And with that, he excused himself from the room to prepare dinner.

I sat on my bed in silence, the pain eating its way at me, and hoping, praying that he truly was right.

Pain, it comes in all forms. The small twinge, a bit of soreness, the random pain that we live with everyday. Then there is the kind of pain you just can't ignore, a level of pain so great that it blocks out everything else, makes the rest of your world fade away until all we can think about is how much we hurt, how we manage our pain is up to us. We anaesthetize, ride it out, embrace it, ignore it, and for some of us the best way to manage pain is to just push through it.

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What did everyone think? Like it? Hate it? Please review and tell me :] Please. Although i have reached 100, i still want more. Hey, Im greedy what can i say? lol  
Also, i would just like people to know that i am now a Beta- Reader, and if anyone would like me to help them with their stories, i'd be glad too. Please don't hesitate to PM me ( But Still review (: )  
And now i have a quesion for all of you. Although i know some of you don't want it to happen, The Joker might just develop certain feelings for our lovely Annabelle ( If he hasn't already) and i wanted to know whether or not you think i should write from his point of view at all? Please give me your opinions on the matter :] Thank you  
BTW SPOILER ALERT!: I think i might just be introducing a new character into the mix! And then the claws will come out!

Reviews (:


	28. Can't Get You Out Of My Head

_A/N: HELLO! Another update, which i am veryy happy about. Hope you all like it too. Reviews have been great, love 'em as always. Though as you know by now, i always want more :] Its 1AM right now! hahaha can anybody answer me this question? Why is everything som much funnier at night? its been plaguing my mind forever lol  
Anyway. Reviews my fellow readers (:_

_Disclaimer: Own nothing but Annabelle and the plot, and any other characters i might add in..._

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_We fear violence less than our own feelings. Personal, private, solitary pain is more terrifying than what anyone else can inflict.  
- Jim Morrison_

_Annabelle's POV_

Strangely, the Joker remained relatively _normal_ for the remainder of his stay, however short it may have been.

And once he was out the door, I found myself sinking down against it, clutching my chest in my hands aching for breath that I couldn't catch. As if the sudden realization I had come to shook me to the core. As if it made some miniscule difference in my life. But it didn't.

I had always known the truth, I'd just been too afraid to admit it to myself.

I also figured something else out in the process of losing any last shred of sanity I still retained. The feelings I felt when the Joker was around, along with the sinking feeling of dread I felt when he left. I _loved _him. At least, as much as someone such as myself could love.

And I know he would never love me back, no matter how hard I hoped, so I'd settle for pretend.

I was finally free, I could do anything I wanted, but instead I let myself drift in and out of thoughts holding both the Joker and I. walking hand in hand along the beach, kissing in the rain, me in a white dress walking down the aisle to a dressed up Joker…

I was well aware none of this would come true. Even if he _could _feel the way I feel about him, he wouldn't. And because of Bruce, I kept being bombarded with macabre thoughts of me lying dead in some alley, no matter how much I denied the truth to those thoughts, I still was aware that, that could be me. But I also knew I had to be somewhat useful to the Joker, otherwise, I would _already _be that girl. Another statistic. Lying face down in the dirt, a sinister smile carved onto my face.

The minutes seemed to race by, and I remained slouched against my door, lost in my own mind, but I took notice of the sky outside. From my position, I had a view of the window on the far side of the room, the drapes hanging off to the sides, and I could see the crystal blue sky changing quickly to radiant oranges and red's and eventually into the purples and black's of the night sky.

Sighing, I got up, and walked back to my bedroom. The room still looked the same as it did when I left. The bed still wasn't made, and items littered the floor. I could almost picture the scene replaying before my eyes, but I shook it off, sliding into the comforting bed.

The warmth wrapped around me and I instantly relaxed, feeling my eyes droop close. It wasn't until this moment that I realized how tired I really was, and as soon as my head hit the soft and welcoming pillow, every worry, every doubt plaguing my mind vanished, leaving me helpless to the foreboding kiss of unconsciousness.

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_Joker's POV_

What _was _this?

I couldn't put my finger on it, but every time my eyes landed on her, I felt this unnecessary feeling to protect her. As if she needed the protecting. Though I knew she could handle almost anything she set her mind to.

In the beginning, I took her as a challenge, to see how easily it was to corrupt your average princess, Bruce Wayne type, but I guess even I can be wrong sometimes.

She surprised me, and being the Joker, that's not an easy thing to do, but she did it. I guess you could say I _did _corrupt her, but she had a flame burning inside her long before I showed up. It was always there, dimly shining, I just gave it the much needed boost.

When I took her, I knew I'd bring her down to my level, I just never thought she'd _enjoy _it as much as she did. But its always better after the first time you kill. And luckily for her, that was long before I came into the picture. I'm almost positive she's with me now, my girl, but there's just one thing that stands in the way.

One thing that could take her away from me, and its name is Bruce Wayne.

Stuffy nosed, pig headed, playboy Bruce Wayne. How could she befriend that _loser_?!

I mean, I get he's her best friend, they've known each other for years blah, blah, blah. It doesn't matter who he was back _then_, its who he is now, and now, he isn't the best of guys. He's a man whore who has a hold on my Annabelle, an a powerful hold at that. Of course, mine is much stronger, but that doesn't mean his hold isn't as detrimental to my overall destination.

I don't know why, but simply _thinking _about him makes my blood boil and my heart beat faster. I have the sudden urge to kill him, when before he wasn't even on my radar, my level. Well he better learn the ropes fast then huh?

I get this sick feeling in my stomach when I think about them being so close, not only personally, but physically. They are practically roommates and at any time, he could barge right in, sweeping her off her vulnerable feet, and whisk her away.

And I couldn't have that could I?

So instead of running off, leaving her helpless and alone, I grab a room next door, killing the only man inside. And surprisingly, the room is rather homey. It has two rooms, a sitting area, and a bedroom, and a bathroom. I guess its your average hotel room, not that I visit many hotels, I much rather see them explode into flames.

But I don't take much a chance to get comfy as I get to work on setting up the devise I secretly planted in her room. Wouldn't want my little Marionette making secret plans now would we?

Call me paranoid, but hey, I've put too much effort into her for someone to screw it all up now. So before she finally found her way back to Gotham, I jumped in the escalade and sped off, knowing exactly where she'd go, which again brought up another round of rage that I couldn't put a name on. It was an anger that came with a deep pain, something I hadn't felt before

But he who dwells on the past is lost right…? Or something like that.

Anyway, I got there in minutes, and climbed up the fire escape to her window. After a few tries, I picked the lock and was inside. Usually, I wouldn't go through all the trouble of trying to be sneaky, but it was mid day and it wasn't time for my face to be shown, though I wouldn't have had a problem if someone _was _unfortunate enough to see me.

Ha Ha. I could picture it now. A poor woman, probably in her late 40's cleaning up another room, trashed after a one night stand. She doesn't speak English, and is probably new to the country as the takes a glance out the window only to see me climbing right by. She screams and faints, and how could I possibly leave her there like that. She might hurt herself!

So being the fine gentleman that I am, I gracefully climb through the window, helping her out, putting a smile on her face.

Oh. If only I was so lucky.

But nothing even remotely exciting as I made my way into her little apartment, so I had to have some fun when I got there. I didn't do much, just bugged her phone, and added a few minute camera's here and there. Just so I can keep an eye on her, no other reasons what so ever.

Alright, maybe a _few _other reason, but those I won't get into at the moment…

As I set up the device, I idly wondered what I'd do tomorrow. Maybe blow up a school bus or something, but that seemed a little harsh. Maybe I could blow that bus up if Bruce Wayne was in it, but I knew Annabelle wouldn't be too happy with me if I did, so I settled for letting the idea come to me when the time came. And until then, I'd improvise.

The system was set up in minutes, and the camera set up to any available television set. Luckily, there just so happened to be one right in the bedroom. Plugging it into the tv, the screen immediately lit up with a picture of a similar room to mine. Only the bed was empty. Confused, I flicked the switch and the picture changed to the living room, but that too was empty. The next picture was of the kitchen, which was eerily missing the one girl I was eager to see. But before the screen changed, I caught site of a pair of feet invading the screen from the hallway, right inside the door.

I stood up from the bed, staring at the screen intently as I got closer to it, my head cocked to the side in scrutiny. Yes, they were feet, which meant that Annabelle was sitting at the door. Content with finally finding my girl, I flicked the remote, giving me a better view of her, only the screen changed back to the bedroom.

Taken back, I flicked the switch again, only to find that I only had access to 3 rooms. Growling in frustration, I threw the controler down loudly and fell back against the bed.

It was going to be a long couple of hours. But luckily, he had ways of entertaining himself in the mean time.

Humming softly, he got to work.

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_Unknown POV_

"... Cats and rabbits, would reside in fancy little houses. They'll be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers. In a world of my own..." You sing to yourself as you bounce down the dirt road. The city lights were visibly by now, and the excited grin on your face turns sinister as you think of all things you can do once she you're reunited with your other half. Your true love. Your sould mate.

The rain came down softly at first, slowly picking up speed as you continued your walk, your black pea coat billowing in the wind of the storm. You don't mind the rain, actually, you enjoy it, and as the rain soaks your brown hair, causing it to stick to your face, You can't contain the giggle that leaves your throat.

The rain seemed to sizzle as it meets the bare skin or your face and legs, your Green dress billowing out lightly and your heels making almost no noise compared to the sound of the pelting rain. You're on a mission, and nothing is going to stop you from getting what you want.

The distant sound of an engine meets your ears and you shift your head to the left slightly, still keeping your hardened gaze on the road in front of her. The car was almost invisible against the black space around you but when it slowed to a crawl next to you, you take notice.

The window rolled down and the man in the front seat calls to you.

" Hey hun. Do ya need a ride? Its rainin' awfully hard out there." He drawled, his southern accent coming out fully. Your smile twitches as your blood gets hot. But you keep up the happy innocent façade.

" I think I'll be quite alright." You say sweetly, silently warning him to drive off, go home, this is not the way he wants to go.

" No, I insist. Are ya headed into the city?" He insists, causing you to roll your eyes, cursing him for making you do this. You stop walking, and the car stops too. Turning on your heel, you cutely walk toward him, leaning down to the open window.

You lay your arms on the open window, sticking your head in and getting a good look at both the car and its driver. Impressed, you turn to him, a devious smile playing on your lips. You put your arm out, grabbing a piece of hair that's flying in the air. Curling it behind his ear you speak devilishly.

" I am.." He smiles. " But you, my dear, _aren't_." He's confused, you can see it in his eyes but using your other hand, you grab a hold of his head. One hand on his chin, the other residing on the back of his neck, you grab a tight hold and twist. A loud snap fills the silence and his eyes are lifeless, bleak.

You unlock the door from the inside, opening it, and the man's stone cold body falls out. You sigh. You hate doing dirty work, always so much effort.

Stepping around the body, you climb into the car, its heat having no effect on you. You never cared about being cold. Kicking the body once with your heel, you slam the door closed.

You rummage through your pocket, looking for your signature item. Finding it, your face brightens. You toss a lone rose out the window and onto the body as you put the car in gear, speeding off down the road, and back to the city of Gotham.

Time to meet some old friends.

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Dun Dun Dunnnnnnn! Like it? Hate it? Either way, review it. Sorry for any mistakes. Its late.. again. But at least i got this out. :] BRIGHT SIDE


	29. Once a Joker, Always A Joker

A/N: Greetings! Here's the next chapter. I like it, therefore you should too (: Btw, im sorry ahead of time for the mistakes in grammar for this chapter. Im too tired to look this over again. Anyway, thanks to all the reviews. I love them, but i feel people don't read this story as much anymore :/ Please show me otherwise by leaving a review. Also, im leaving in a week for Florida, and if you want another chapter within like 3 weeks, reviews will definitely make that happen :)

Disclaimer: Only own Annabelle, and a certain other mischeivious character.

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_It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.  
-**Ursula K. Le Guin  
**_

I woke to the sound of clanking pots, swearing, and laughter.

At first, I didn't know what to think, but recognition quickly dawned on me. I sprung out of bed stealthily, sneaking over to the door and opening it almost inaudibly. Glancing around the corner, I caught sight of a very frustrated Joker, shuffling around my kitchen, a graffitied apron hanging from his shoulders.

' Laughter is the best Medicine' It read, chocolate being shrewdly scribbled out and replaced with laughter. The snicker that left my lips was completely involuntary. His head snapped up, brown orbs meeting green ones, and his smile widened.

" _Ah. _Good uh, morning." He drawled as I entered the living room, watching him through the breakfast window.

The closer I got, the more potent the smell of burning food became, and worry swiftly overcame me. If I were to burn down the building the first day I was back, Bruce would definitely not be happy.

As if triggered by my thoughts, smoke filled the room, and The Joker cursed loudly. Spinning, he grabbed the burning pan off the stove, growling loudly, and slammed it into the sink. I flew to the window, pulling it open.

I was back within seconds, walking cautiously into the kitchen. The Joker had his shoulders hunched and his knuckles were a starch white as he gripped the counter forcefully. His eyes were squeezed shut as I came up next to him. Carefully, I placed my hand over his tense fingers, hoping he wouldn't push me away. Not now.

She Joker's grip on the counter loosened almost automatically, and his eyelids fluttered open in surprise. He watched me intently, and I just smiled, turning my attention to the burned pans in front of me.

That look in his eyes, the way he instantly relaxed, it _scared _me. No one had ever looked at me the way he just did.

" Um." I began awkwardly, trying to break the silence. " You didn't have to do this you know." I stuttered nervously, motioning towards the burnt pan in the sink. He seemed to have broke from a trance, blinking furiously, before he shrugged.

" I was uh, _hungry._" He said nonchalantly. I laughed lightly.

" I could have made something-"

" That would have been impolite. _Waking _you for uh my selfish nec-ess-it-_ies." _He stated, turning to lean against the counter. His arms crossed over his chest and he shook his head wildly, his hair falling over his eyes.

" I never would have pegged you for the type to care about manners." I teased, turning my body to face him. He looked down to the ground for a moment before looking back up to me, pushing himself off the counter.

" Only with _you_." He breathed as he breezed by me, walking into the living room. I didn't say a word, didn't make a sound, I could barely even breath. That was the closest he had ever come to saying he felt any kind of feeling toward me. And for the Joker, that really _meant _something.

" _Soooooooo._ Do you have any plans-_ah _for the day?" He asked as if the words he had just spoken were normal, and they were. But not for the Joker.

Walking out into the living room, I watched as the Joker gazed out the window, splattered with rain drops from the previous night. His eyes stayed on the window as I spoke.

" Did you have something in mind?"

He giggled and turned to face me, but mid turn, his attention fell onto the television, the news being on. The volume was on low, so low I hadn't even heard it, but he must have. He stepped to the T.V. turned it up, and crouched down in front of it, watching it with great interest. I myself hadn't found much interest in it until now.

" … The body found along the Gotham Interstate Highway was identified as Randy Shewman. He was traveling to the city on a Business trip when he was ambushed and killed. The only evidence left at the scene was a red rose. This leads us to believe it could be the work of the same person involved in a dozen other murders throughout the state. At this point, there are no other suspects. Gotham Police Department are doing their best to go on what little they have… In other news, The Joker has made his presence know once again, as if we ever forgot him.."

I watched the news intently, but I suddenly became very confused. Obviously this killer was nothing compared to the Joker, so why did he care so much. The Newscast ended and the Joker slowly rose, his smile twitching slightly before disappearing behind his tongue.

" Of uh _course _I have something in mind." He said, his eyes drifting from me to the screen. He was chewing at his scars, trying to hide his nervousness, but of course I saw it. But I still tried to pretend everything was fine, knowing full well that I knew nothing.

" Would you like to share?" I asked, taking a step forward. He took one last glance at the screen before turning to me, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling and smacking his lips together. He rocked back on his heals as he spoke.

" Why don't we go for a ride-_ah_."

As those words left his mouth, I felt a sense of disappointment fill me. After everything we had done together, _this _is what he could come up with. Maybe I was making him out to be more than he actually was.

" Alright," I said slowly, " Let me just call and tell Bruce-"

" No!" He seethed, flying forward to grasp both my arms. His eyes were dark and malevolent as he glared down at me, but they softened bit by bit. " Don't bother with _him. _Besides, isn't it a little early to be uh calling Gotham's playboy?" He began, and my lips curved into a smirk. If I didn't know any better, I would say the Joker is feeling a bit jealous.

But I looked to the clock none the less, and he was right. It was only nine in the morning.

" Okay.. Just let me get dressed." I said, maneuvering out of his grasp. He snickered as I flew to my room.

Once inside, I pulled all my drawers open roughly, upset that I couldn't find anything remotely decent. It was now that I wished I had taken the time to buy more clothes than the few I did own.

After much deciding, I took out a pair of black leather pants and a red halter top and hurriedly put them on. Moving to the middle of the room, i caught sight of t Black Pea Coat the Joker had given me days before. I smiled and slid my arms into the soft sleeves. Once the warmth surrounded me, I glanced in the mirror. And I thought I looked as good as I could get at this point, with the limited time I had, and skipped to the Joker's side. He was twirling his switchblade around, deep in thought, an when he realized I had fiished, he looked up, shoving the knife back into his purple coat.

" Are we ready-_ah?_" He asked, and I scoffed rolling my eyes.

" You tell me." I shot back, sarcastically. His giggles echoed throughout the room as he swung his arm over my shoulder.

" Oh you _kill _me, ya know that? But not uh literally. No, if that were true-_ah _I'd be thor-ough-ly up_set._" He went on, leading me to the bedroom. Unaware of his actions I walked along side.

We stopped at my window, and as he removed his arm from my shoulder, he began humming loudly. The window flew open noiselessly, and I had a bad feeling about how _exactly _we were getting to the car.

I mean, I'm just like every other girl. In the way that we tend to like to walk down the stairs _in _the building instead of scaling the _outside._

" Uh. Why _exactly _are you opening that window? I thought we were going for a ride." I said, and I already knew the answer before I asked the question. I just needed to hear it come from him. As if it would solidify my fears.

" Oh dear Annabelle. So naïve. He he. I can't very well-_ah _walk down _through _the building. Someone would uh _see _me. At least _this _way, we're less-_ah _noticeable." He reasoned, staring up at me with his head cocked to the side, and with him looking at me like that, how could I say no?

I didn't say a word, but he took that as a yes as he climber out onto the fire escape. I hesitantly looked out at the Joker, waiting for me to follow. I shook my head.

" You know, I changed my mind. Go on without me. I'll be fine here." I said, wrapping my arms around myself as I stepped back. The Joker huffed loudly but held out his hand, gesturing for me to take it.

" Im not-_ah _going to let you fall, ya hear me? And besides, that's not even the uh least bit _funny_." He spoke, and their was something about his voice that sounded sincere. I wanted to believe him, trust him, so I slowly grabbed his gloved hand tightly, climbing out of the window.

" See. It's not so bad." He soothed, as he let go of my hand and began climbing down the ladder. He reached the platform below and looked up to me, shielding his eyes from the sun. He had his arms outstretched and his smile impossibly wide as he waited for me to descend.

I got down, ready to climb down the ladder but I stopped, catching his gaze with mine. "You're not going to let me fall, right?" I asked one last time, and he shook his head before speaking.

" You uh have _nothing _to worry about when you're with me darling. Nothing."

And with that, I let go of my fear, and climbed down the rest of the way, both surprised and upset when we finally reached the ground.

" That actually was fun Mister J." I giggled, following him over to the Escalade. We both jumped in, laughing at out previous journey down Wayne Towers. This must be what I felt like when Bruce went flying through Gotham at night. Or at least, the closest thing to it.

The Joker drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as we sped down the twisting alleyways of Gotham City, and before long, his right hand landed on the back of my seat. I smiled in satisfaction.

" How many people have you killed?" I blurted out unexpectedly, and his laughter stopped. His hand slid down the seat until it rested on my inner leg, his eyes on me.

" Ya know." He began, tightening his grip on my leg. " They could put me in a helicopter and fly me up into the air and line up the bodies head to toe on the ground in delightful geometric patterns like an endless June Taylor dance routine — and it would never be enough… No, I don't keep count. But _they_ do. And I _love_ them for it." He giggled, giving my thigh one more squeeze before placing it back behind the chair. I giggled once, my laugh lacking the amusement his held, and turned my attention to the city flying by.

" I know I'm probably not going to get an answer, but where exactly is this car headed?" I asked, turning to him slowly, and asking as nicely as possibly. Though I knew that if the Joker didn't want me to know, I wouldn't.

" Annabelle. I'm _hurt._ Of course you can know where this car is uh going-_ah._ Its going to uh meet an old friend." He spoke between giggles, and that was exactly the kind of response I had been expecting.

The Joker began humming again, and in the distance I caught sight of the newly restored MCU. Panic washed over me as the thought of the Joker loaded with bullets and splattered with blood, lying lifeless on the street ran through my mind. I shuddered at the thought.

" Maybe we should, um, take this left right here." I stated, sitting upright and pointing toward the road just before the MCU. The escalade slowed, but didn't turn. Instead, it came to a gradual halt just outside the doors.

" What are you _doing_?" I whispered angrily at him, his face fell into a mocking frown.

" _I'm _not doing anything… but you, my dear Marionette, are-_ah_."

The Joker leaned over me, his face hovering inches above mine, before his lips crashed against my own. The kiss was passionate and hungry as his tongue took control, and my hands entangled themselves in his green curls. His right hand grabbed a hold of my waist as the other wandered to the window of the car. I was getting lost in the kiss as I heard the door open, and felt myself falling from the car. The loud bang echoed throughout my head, and sent searing pain throughout my entire body.

The Joker watched me from the car, giggling and waving as he blew me a mocking kiss. The door shut as he took off down the road, leaving my lying right outside the MCU.

So I did the only thing I could do. I walked right in.

* * *

You know where he'll be. He may be able to fool everyone else, but not you. He's the master manipulator, the king of schemers, the prince of plans. He's everything he pretends not to be, and you know exactly how to break him, even more so than before.

Your out for revenge, and not the good kind. You won't enjoy what you know you have to do, but like you said, you have to do it. There's no going back now. He jumped ship, leaving you chained to the mast, and now its your job to drown him in the water he thought could save him. The water that shielded him for so long.

Your fingers twitch in anticipation as you grip the steering wheel tightly. You see him, that smug smile carved into his face brightly accentuated with his red lipstick. You want to jump out now, see him, hug him, kiss him, and eventually kill him, but you also know its not time. You have to wait for the opportune moment.

So you sit their, watching him from afar, hating him with every ounce of your being, but at the same time, every thing about him makes your stomach fill with butterflies, butterflies you so wish you could slaughter. So you snuggle farther into the Black Pea Coat you were given, the only thing that reminds you of the man you learned to hate.

There's a no man's land between love and hate. Between passion and obsession -- where it's easy to lose all sense of reality -- and in doing so, lose yourself. Somewhere in that emotional minefield... Shannon Summers wanders

* * *

There's another chapter for ya, and if you like where this is going, please drop me a review. Im hooked on 'em.

Now down to business.  
Im am in a pickle. There is going to be a very sexual scene coming up, only i don't know how to write it without sounding stupid. So i was wondering if there was anyone out there who would like to help me with it? Please? I'm stuck cause this story can't continue like this. The Jokers getting Blue Balls! hahaha anyway please PM or review if you can help, or just review. I need them, especially if you want a new chapter before i leave.

Adieu.


	30. Babe, You Deserve An Oscar

_A/N: Okay. So when i started this chapter, i had one idea in mind, and then it changed completely at the end. My writing literally brought me to a different conclusion, and i hope you like it. The reviews were great, and more is always better so keep them coming. Im leaving tomorrow so probably not another chapter up for another week but still review so i am greeted my tons when i get home (:_

_Disclaimer: Only Own Annabelle Mathews and Shannon Summers. Everyone else is a product of DC Comics. But the song belongs to Boys Like Girls_

* * *

_"Nothing so distinguishes great acting -- in any style, in any historical period -- than the feeling that the actor has the potential to 'go off' at any moment, and to unleash an explosion -- a flood of lava, that will be totally uncontrolled and uncontrollable. Great Acting always dances with danger!"  
- Robert Cohen_

I never knew how much I really _hated _cops.

I was sitting in a lone chair, surrounded by a swarming crowd of bulky men dawning the shining badge that gave them all the power they wanted. They were all swarming around to hear my story which I so cleverly rearranged. And once the story was out, it seemed the sudden stop in time sprung back in motion, almost fast forwarding.

Everything was going by so fast, the cops scurrying like lightening, and the noise shooting louder than I had heard these past few weeks. I was aware of Commissioner Gordon by my side, his hand rubbing my back soothingly.

I never was a great actress, but my time with the Joker suddenly gave me the talent of doing so. Either that, or these cops were unthinkably stupid, but I'm sure you couldn't expect someone who had just gone through what I'd said I had gone through to be completely stable. The few tears I did shed left darkened streaks running down my face.

" Is there anyone I can call?" I hear the comforting voice of Jim Gordon ask me. I look up to meet his eyes, and all I see is sympathy. He really did care about my well being, which was strangely odd in this town.

" Bruce. Bruce Wayne." I mutter softly, looking away from his eyes and down to my hands. For the strangest of reasons, I found myself feeling sorry for lying to him. He was a kind person, one of the few left in Gotham, and lying to him was hard for me to do. He hadn't wronged me nor anyone in any way.

" Alright Miss Mathews. I'll get right on that, are you okay over here by yourself?" He asks me softly, and I just nod. When I raise my head, he's gone, and I'm left watching the inside of the MCU with little interest. All I want to do is go home, to see the Joker, to finally be over with all this.

I end up staring out the door, watching the people pass by. I bet their lives are normal, boring. Same old routine, same old mind numbing tasks. I'll bet they've never even seen a person die. And I don't mean the way they show it on TV. I mean really dead. That moment in time when their eyes begin to fade, the light leaving their eyes leaving them empty. No, they don't know what dead is.

And for a second, just one second, time stops. I'm looking out the window, and a figure appears in the doorway. The figure is of a woman, and she's wearing a silky green dress with a black pea coat, similar to the one the Joker had given me, and I unconsciously pull it closer over my body.

The girl has pale skin and piercing blue eyes, though their not on me. Her hair falls in crimped brown waves, and is a little shorter than my own. Her eyes are made up in smoky colors, accentuating the blue even more, and her lips are a bright red. She had her head tilted to the right, her right hand caressing her face with a rose. A tingle of hatred pierces through my body for one split second, and as if sensing this, her eyes dart up to mine. And I can feel the emptiness in her eyes.

She traces the rose down across her lips, and she parts her lips in what looks like pleasure as her eyes close. Her eyes shoot open and she smirks evilly at me as the rose drops to the paved ground below her feet. I watch as that rose drops, falling down like a grain of sand from an hour glass, and when it hits the ground, I almost hear the sound.

The second that rose drops, she disappears.

I stare at the door curiously, searching for the mystery women when a fatherly voice brings me back to reality.

" He's on his way Miss Mathews." Gordon says, and I smile kindly. " Thank you." He smiles back, taking off his glass to clean them with a stray tissue, and as he turns to leave, I grab his arm. " And please, call me Annabelle." He opens his mouth to speak but closes it just as quickly, instead giving me a warm smile.

We stand in silence for a few minutes, but it's a comfortable one, and the craziness of the day is still continuing on in the MCU. But for a few minutes, we block it out.

Soon, a loud bang echoes around the building as I catch Bruce running to me. He's out of breath as he reaches my seat, and he's acting very well, almost too well. But then again, being batman he would have to be able to lie convincingly.

His face portrays shock as he picks me up, swinging me in his arms, and I smile against his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him lovingly.

I can't help the stray tear that falls down my cheek, though I now this wasn't the first time seeing him. I guess I just got caught up in the moment, but at least they weren't fake.

I felt Bruce's arms loosen from around my waist, and my arms fell to my side after wiping away the tear that had fallen down my cheek.

I Watch As Gordon turns to us, his gaze meeting Bruce's before he nods once and Bruce leads me from the building out onto the street. And as we exit through door, I stop, kneeling to pick up the red rose, confirming the fact that their had been a women standing their, watching me. Bruce raises and eyebrow and I just wave him off. I'll let him know once I found out for myself.

We walk quietly to the other side of the street where the Lamborghini is parked. I laugh at the irony of it.

The door opens, and I slide in. Bruce quickly follows and he begins to drive. Right now, I can tell he has questions. Questions he wants answers to. And as much as I love him, I can't burden him with the things I hold in my mind.

So instead, I quickly turn on the radio, stopping any conversation in its tracks. A song comes on, and I tilt my head, becoming engulfed in its lyrics.

_Found my way to the highway, I don't wanna tell you the state I'm in  
I've had too much to smoke, too much to drink, where have I been?  
I feel like the stars are getting closer and the sky is closing in  
And I don't know where to begin_

_We're all looking for something, to take away the pain  
Me, and you, and my medication(Making the best of it)  
Love is just a chemical creation(Will it be permanent?)  
Synthetic sensation  
Me, you, and my medication_

_The way back to the right track, maybe you can help me find the door  
Is it too much to ask, too much too fast, too much to ignore?  
It feels like your body's getting closer but you seem so far away  
Medicine make it ok_

_We're all looking for someone, to take away the pain  
Me, and you, and my medication(Making the best of it)  
Love is just a chemical creation(Will it be permanent?)  
Synthetic sensation  
Me, you, and my medication_

So can you feel it?Do you feel it coming down?  
You gotta get up  
Can you get up off the ground?  
Can you hear it?  
Can you hear me screaming?  
So can you feel it?  
Do you feel it coming down?  
You gotta get up  
Can you get up off the ground?  
I wanna hear it  
Wanna hear you breathing

We're all addicted to something, that takes away the pain  
Me, and you, and my medication(Making the best of it)  
Love is just a chemical creation(Will it be permanent?)  
Synthetic sensation  
Me, you, and my medication

The song grabbed at my attention, but before I could look farther into it, the car came to a stop.

Bruce was at my door, offering me his hand and I eagerly took it. We walked side by side to the elevator and once inside, I hit the button for my floor. I could feel Bruce's gaze on me, but I was past caring at the moment. I loved him to death, but right now, I had the urge to hide myself away.

The ride up was agonizingly slow, but my floor soon came up. I took a step into the hallway as I heard Bruce speak.

" Its only going to get harder from here." He murmured, and I glanced over my shoulder at Bruce, his eyes sad.

" That's life for ya."

I stepped fully out of the elevator by now, and the doors closed all too fast. Sighing, I shuffled over to my apartment, and silently slipped inside. The room was dark, every curtain drawn down, and my instincts took over.

I stealthily slid into the kitchen, grabbing hold of the kitchen drawer and pulling it open. I then took out the closest weapon I could find: A large butcher knife.

Grasping the handle tightly, a took careful, calculated steps around both the living room and kitchen. I found nobody, but along the way, I opened up the curtains, the light pouring into the previous darkened room.

The light did nothing to calm my fears, and I began tip toeing towards my room. The knife still firmly in hand, I turned the door knob, the door swinging open silently. I walked in, the window open just as we had left it, and I searched the room with my eyes. I walked closer to the bathroom, throwing the door open, no longer worried about the noise, but found it empty. I went to the closet next, but it too was empty.

Having found nothing out of place, I walked back out into the living room, only it was once again dark. That was when I heard a high laugh erupt from the kitchen doorway, through the laugh wasn't the familiar laugh that came with the Clown Prince of Crime. This laugh, came from a girl.

My head shot to the side as the figure emerged, and the lights instantly turned on. I blinked my eyes due to the sudden change of light, as my eyes focused back onto the girl. I gasped.

It was a Brunette, clad in a green dress and black coat. that same devilish smirk plastered on her face as before.

" You. I saw you earlier, outside of the MCU." I said, taking a step closer. She laughed again, seeming to dance up to me, though her laugh was void of amusement. Again, she had a rose in her hand, and she was playing with it within her hands as she circled me.

" You don't know who I am, but I know you. Annabelle Mathews right?" She spoke, and her voice was much different than I had imagined. It was sweet, almost childish, and I momentarily blanked, forgetting she had spoken.

" Yes, yes I'm Annabelle. How did you know that?" I asked suspiciously, turning to face her. She sighed and walked back in front of me, picking off the petals from the rose slowly. " We both have a third party in common with one another." She spoke serenely, looking up through her lashes at me, but those blue eyes held only emptiness. An emptiness I could feel tugging at me. I looked away.

And then instantly, it clicked. The Rose, the murders. She was the murderer.

" Its you. You're her, the one who's been killing those people. A rose is your calling card." I accused, my grip on the knife tightening even more so. She smirked.

" You see," She began, gliding over to the couch before taking a seat. " we're the same you and I. Both dragged into this life. We didn't choose it, it chose us. And I'm ready for it to stop." She crooned, crossing her legs and patting the couch beside her. I was so hypnotized by her voice that I followed, sitting beside her.

" What do you mean by, 'this life'?" I asked and she scoffed, suddenly angry.

" I mean killing, B. I got into it this same way you did. And now I'm planning on ending it, by stopping the one person who got me addicted. The same person who's feeding you the exact same bullshit." She fumed, pushing herself up from the couch, and as she continued, my eyes narrowed. Though, I had no idea when she could have been with the one man I think she's talking about.

" And what person might that be?" I seethed, standing from the couch. Her eyes glazed over as they wandered down to the knife, a glint of life finally entering them.

" They're fun aren't they." She stated, turning to the side and walking. Her mood was much lighter than before and I was taken back by the sudden change. " Knives, I mean." She replied. A sigh escaped her lips as she continued.

" it's a wonder what a tiny piece of metal can do to the body. How many ways it can puncture the skin before finally ending its life. Miraculous really…" She seemed lost in her own world and I was thoroughly confused. One minute she was seething and the next she was getting lost in her own oblivion. She almost reminded me of… no she couldn't.

" This is all _his _fault! Look at me Annabelle. Do I look like a killer? I wasn't one to begin with, he did this to me. The Joker poisoned my mind, and I was too naïve. He sucked me in, his logic, his mind, he himself was like a drug, and I was its helpless victim. No, I'm not ashamed of what I have become. I fully embrace it, love it even. But I'm through with him poisoning the minds of anyone else. I'm giving you a choice…"

She stepped closer to me and my fist instinctually shot up, hitting her right in the jaw. She fell back a few feet, her hand caressing her jaw and when she removed it, the blood fell like water from her mouth. Another giggle escaped her.

" You really are his type, huh?" She spoke, though the sound was off.

" I don't know who the fuck you are, but I really don't care. All I care about is you out of my apartment or else you just might find yourself _wishing _I had just killed you right here." I seethed, holding the knife up, the light glinting against its metal blade.

She eyed me incredulously, as she took a step, and that step was all I needed.

I flew from my spot, pinning her against the wall, one hand pressed roughly into her arm, and the other holding the knife firmly against her neck. She squirmed under me slightly, and I laughed at her efforts.

" Not what you were expecting, huh?" I whispered darkly into her ear, but she kept silent. I looked into her eyes, expecting to see fear, though again they held nothing but emptiness.

" Any last words?" She looks from me, to the side, and as she does, a smug smile appears on her face.

" Yeah, One." I hear, though its not her lips that are moving, and before I know it, my head is bleeding, and everything slowly fades.

The last thing I resister in my brain, are five words that _kill _me.

" Babe, you deserve an _Oscar!_"

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Evil Cliffie :P Review if you want me to update as soon as i get back :) lol Btw i just want to point out how anti social Annabelle is becoming, i wonder why? hahaha Well of course i do, but anywayyyyyyy...  
I hope you liked this chapter, i did, and i especially like the new i dea that popped into my head. I had originally seen this story taking a different turn, but this one is just as great. Though i'm sorry to say it, i don't think their will be very many chapters left. By the end, their will probably be 40 chapters of this story. So still got 10 more to go :)  
Please review?

Adieu  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart


	31. Once In A Blue Moon

_A/N: Hello. Yes, another chapter, though its shorter than the others. I'm still in Florida but couldn't resist uploading another chapter. Please review, Only got one for last chapter ): Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: Don't own The Joker or Bruce_

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_Ignorance is not bliss - it is oblivion.  
- Philip Wylie  
_

I opened my eyes to a dark room, and it took me a moment to figure out where I was. When I did, I smiled slightly. I was in my bedroom.

The bed I was placed on was soft, the silky comforter draped over me nicely, and there was a heavy weight by my side. My head throbbed, and I knew trying to search threw my clouded mind would hurt even more so instead, I turned to the figure next to me.

I shrieked slightly when I was greeted by the devilishly handsome face of the Joker, his eyes watching me carefully.

" Good evening-_ah, _beautiful." He drawled, tracing his hand along my jaw line. And his eyes were filled with an emotion that terrified me to see on his face. An emotion I had tried for so long now to hide away. Love.

And at that moment, the events of the day came flooding back, and realization hit.

"How did you get in? I-I got hit and blacked out?" I asked, lacing my hand over his and pulling it onto the bed. His eyes immediately went to the sheet before looking back up to mine., that innocence still hidden in his brown depths. He licked his lips nervously before getting up from the bed and sauntering to the chair on the other side of the room.

Grabbing his purple jacket, he headed for the door. I don't know how I managed it with my inconceivably painful headache, but I threw myself in his path. Holding onto the door frame, I looked up at him threw my lashes. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he placed his hands on his hips.

" Did you save me?" I whisper, my eyes searching for an answer and he looked away. He chewed at his scars nervously before turning on his heel. His back facing me, he ran his gloved hand through his green locks and began pacing.

I carefully walked toward him, afraid I'd fall at any moment.

" I couldn't- I couldn't just _leave _you there. Vulnerable, helpless-_ah.. _It doesn't suit you Annabelle. And. I don't know _why._ It shouldn't be hard- for me- to see someone like that, but _you._ .." He was tugging at his hair and was staring just above my head, but his words comforted me in a way I can't describe.

God, he was sexy. Dark, dangerous, that sense of the untamed just barely suppressed below the surface…

It seemed only a second passed, so fast I didn't know how I got there and didn't even consider analyzing it. Joker was there, leaning against me, his arm so closed to my head that I could have curled into it if I had the guts. Bad enough that I couldn't breath, speak, swallow, or hear anything outside of my own painfully thudding heartbeat. I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

But at that moment, I didn't care. This was it, our moment, and I wouldn't let it pass by.

You never know the biggest day of your life is the biggest day. Not until its happening. You don't recognize your biggest day, not until you're in the middle of it. The day you commit to something, or someone. The day you get your heartbroken. The day you meet your sole mate. The day you realize there's not enough time, because you want to live forever..

We were on the bed, my back pressed into the mattress with his body pressed against mine. His hands lifted my shirt off of my body as I ripped off his vest, working on the buttons of his hexagonal shirt. They too were off as my jeans met the floor.

He ground his hips against mine as his lips traveled to my neck, and I worked to push down his purple trousers. They fell to the ground quietly and looked up to my eyes. They asked the question I had waited so long to be asked, and I nodded wordlessly. His hands tugged at the hem of my panties and I bucked my hips as they slid down my legs.

The only thing keeping us apart now were his simple boxers. The light purple fabric hanging tightly now onto his hips.

Our kiss breaks momentarily and I look into his hungry eyes, unable to silence the moan coming from me. He kicks off the boxers and situates himself on top of me, before entering me swiftly. His thrusts are hard and fast, and I find myself clutching his shoulders roughly, my nails digging into his skin and causing him to blood, though he didn't seem to mind. If anything, he enjoyed it.

I met his pace quickly and before long, we were panting with our efforts.

I clung to him harder as we continue and un record time, we came to our climax. His body fell on top of me, but he quickly rolled onto his side, putting his arm around my waist and pulling me closer. I snuggled into his chest as he pulled the covers over us. It was silent besides the sounds of our uneven breathing. I looked up to him smiling.

Most of his paint had smeared off and you could see the man underneath, and I felt the need to know more.

"What's your name?" I ask him, and the broad smile that had previously been residing on his face lessened. He was still smiling, but it wasn't quite in happiness.

" Are you sure you want to know?" He asks solemnly, ashamed. And I use my free hand to turn his face to mine.

" There's nothing you can say that can scare me off now. Not after everything so far." I say truthfully, and his eyes flash with life. I'm sure holding something that big for so long takes a toll on a person.

" My uh _real _name, is Jack. Jack Napier." He whispers ashamed. And I'm glad he could trust me enough with his secret. I'm glad I seem to mean something to him.

" I'm sure I know what you're _thinking-ah." _He starts, sitting upright. And turning on his side to face me, the blanket falling just at his waist.

" Poor little Jackie. What does he know about misery, what could have possibly happened during my life for me to turn out like such a _freak."_ He rambled angrily, though I could see the anger was toward himself, and I shot up as well, grabbing his face between my hands.

" No, no. That's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was, what could have possibly happened to that boy for him to think he had no way out but this." I soothed and his hand met mine, his fingers intertwining with my own.

" Wanna know how I got these scars?" He whispered, tracing my hand along the jagged scars carved into his otherwise delicate skin. I nodded, no longer able to speak words. He kissed my fingers once before dropping his hand and laying back against the bed, pulling me into his arms.

" I guess you could say I uh got involved with the _wrong _crowd. I was about sixteen when I ran off, leaving home to get away from my family. My uh, my life wasn't awful. No. not at all. But I was always looking for something easier. Something _worth _my while. So I joined a gang, if you could call it that-_ah_.

" it started off with little things. Ya know, mugging, sealing from convenient stores, small stuff. Then it was drinking booz and doing drugs. Then one day, a mob boss, Falcone, took an interest in us. After that, we weren't mugging people on the street, we were shooting 'em. We started wearing nicer suits, started getting the top shelf alcohol, we started getting _noticed._

" It wasn't okay to mess up anymore, it wasn't okay to uh _leave. _You were there for _life._ And uh I was _never_ one for commitments, so I took off. I just got in my car, and drove as far as I could without stopping. I guess I was too naïve to understand what I had gotten myself into. So one day, after driving for hours, I stopped at motel and checked in. I didn't factor in the fact that I was now a part of the mob. And leaving town wasn't something I was uh _allowed _to do. I underestimated the power they had.

" So there I am, sleeping finally, when there's a loud bang and the door is opened. There are three big guys. All carrying loaded guns. And instinctually, I reach for my knife, even then I had good taste-_ah. _but one knife against three big guys with guns really isn't effective. The fight wasn't long, and I was out cold before the dragged me to the car. The next thing I remember is waking up on the Gotham City bridge, the three guys off smoking a joint. My hands are tied behind my back, and my struggles are useless.

One of the guys spot me, and comes over, my knife in his hands. Soon, they all take notice and come over. They pick me up roughly and throw me against the steel pole of the bridge. The one holding the knife presses it against my mouth as he speaks.

" ' Why was you trying to run off Jackie?' He asks but my muscles ache too much to answer. ' Was our fun not good enough for you? Ya know, you're too serious for your own good..' He laughs as he sticks the knife, _my _knife into my mouth. He yanks his arm to the right, then to he left. He sticks the knife into the pocket of my jeans as they push me into the water. And that's how a star is made" He finishes, opening his arms wide in mock enthusiasm. And I have the urge to rip them to pieces. To do that to someone, to anyone, is wrong. At least the Joker had a reason for being the man he was.

" That's awful." I say horrified, and he just shrugs, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

" Only if you look at it from _one _way. I myself see it as the birth of a new uh _breed of man. A better class of criminal." _He says, his voice dark and sinister, though its full of wonder.

I digest the words that come out of his mouth as he rubs my arm soothingly and as he begins humming, that same tune from all those nights ago, I feel myself falling deeper into my own mind, deeper into a new world, as if I hadn't fallen deep enough.

I look up to the Joker once more to see his eyes closed, and in his sleep, the Joker looks like a fallen angel, much like myself. The only difference is I fell willingly, while he was pushed. He looks so much like the prince I had dreamed of for so long, and sighing, I close my eyes as well.

At the end of the day, faith is a funny thing. Its like one day, you realize that the fairytale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well it may not be a castle. And its not so important, happily ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you, and once in a while, people may even take your breath away.

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_Sorry if i seems rushed but i needed this chapter out. Please reiview on your way out, it would really help me. And i hope Joker isn't too OOC Cause i mean obviously, this happiness can't be permanent. :p Reviews please!!!!!_

_Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart_


	32. Misery Loves Company

__

A/N: Here's the next chapter! Please enjoy, and thanks for the reviews. If i get 10 within the next 24 hours you'll get another update in a day! So review (: This Chapter is a big turning point, and is essential for the rest of the story which is, sadly, coming to an end. But don't fret! I'm packing these next few weeks before school starts with tons of updates. Please enjoy (:  
Btw, has anyone seen the Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassuss trailer? It looks amazing!!!! I can't wait for it to come out, and like they better play it in America. How can they not?!?!?! If you haven't seen it yet, see it! Also, i have a question. I want to watch some Heath Ledger movies, and i was wondering which you found to be the best, besides The Dark Knight, so if you could answer my question, please do. And, Review

_Disclaimer: DC Comics own Batman and the Joker, i am only playing off there amazingness._

* * *

_And you dropped the note and we changed key  
you changed yourself and I changed me  
I really didn't see us singing through this  
then you screamed the bridge  
and I cried the verse  
and our chorus came out unrehearsed  
and you smiled the whole way through it  
I guess maybe that's what's worse  
- If you wanted a song written about you, all you had to do was ask. Mayday Parade_

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping...waiting...and though unwanted...unbidden...it will stir...open it's jaws, and howl. It speaks to us...guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. the joy of love...the clarity of hatred...and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we'd truly be dead._

There was movement beside me as my eyes flitted open.

The Joker rose gracefully from the bed, picking up stray articles of clothing along the way, and I stretched happily under the covers, yawning. His head turned to the side slightly, barely acknowledging my presence as he pulls on the purple trousers. I sit up on my elbows, the blanket falling scandalously low as I watch him button up his shirt, then his vest, and finally his signature purple coat.

He saunters over to the mirror, pulling out tubes from his pocket and smearing the color onto his face. His eyes still refuse to meet mine. The Joker's humming reaches my ears as he straightens out the collar of his jacket, his hand running through his hair one more time before turning to the door.

Confused, I jump out of bed, hurriedly throwing on a pair of shorts, and running after him. I grab a hold of his arm playfully, but he pulls loose sharply. He lets out a huff as he turns. A smug smirk on his face, and fire dancing in his eyes.

" Can I, uh, _help _you with something, pet?" He asks mockingly, running his tongue over his lips. And I'm sure the confusion is written plain as day across my face.

" D-did I do something wrong?" I ask softly, my voice barely audible even to my ears. He tilts his head to the side, his eyes squinting briefly, before he giggles clapping his hands together once.

" Oh no! No no no no. Not at _all _princess-_ah. _You were a real uh _pro._" He says, holding up two thumbs tauntingly. And all too quickly, rejection sets in.

My throat begins to burn, and the tears being held back force themselves out, clouding my eyes momentarily. But I pull myself together. Of course I knew this would happen, I knew all along. But I hoped, I prayed, I wished.

He hand moves out to ruffle my hair as he steps backward, and I rub at my eyes to hide away the tears. And then I hear it, again. A mocking, hideous laughter, and out from the shadows of my apartment steps the beautiful actress herself. She walks forward, next to the Joker, and he drapes his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

The words from before rang through my head as if they were being spoken once more, and I instantly recognized the voice. The voice that had hit me that night, the voice that had soothed me hours later. The Joker.

_Babe, you deserve an Oscar._

He had known all along. He knew who she was, he knew she was coming, he knew everything. And everything she had said was a bold faced lie. She never hated him, she never wanted me dead. In actuality, she probably wanted _me _dead. And this was all just another game to him. Another form of amusement for his twisted mind.

It seemed they had been standing there for hours, but it had only been seconds. And in those seconds, The Joker leaned down, his lips meeting hers briefly, but passionately. And when the kiss broke, his gaze met mine.

" Sorry babe. Couldn't resist-_ah_. And it was all just _too _easy. Ya know, you should see your uh face right now. Fucking priceless-_ah_." He giggles, his clowny voice back in place. And its as if last night didn't happen. As if those events were erased from his memory. Good for him I guess, huh.

I should be angry, I should want to rip his throat out, scream, yell. But I can't. my mouth is dry, and my throat hurts with the strain of hiding back tears. Tears that again, began to fall. quiet tears, unnoticeable unless you were staring right at me. And they were.

I could have sworn the Joker's face contorted in pain for the briefest of seconds before returning back into the mask he wore so well.

The girl, _Joker's _girl, stepped away from him, towards me. And I didn't even try to step away. I was too overwhelmed with pain that I just shut down. I just gave up. All that love that I had been hiding away for all those years because of my fear of heartbreak I had finally let free, only to be thrown right back into my face.

Maybe Bruce was right.

She glided over to me, her expression sadistic as she slowed her pace. And once in front of me, she tilted her head to the side before hitting me hard across the face. I stumbled back a few paces, my back hitting the wall before sliding down against it.

I looked up through my tear filled eyes to see the two laughing in an embrace, and my face fell into my hands. More tears fell, but I pushed myself to my feet nonetheless. And when I regained stability, I looked to where they stood. The spot was empty, a lone rose pinned to a joker card being left in its place.

And at that, my knees gave out and I fell to the floor in a sobbing heap.

This was never meant to be, after all, how could it last? He was the Joker, and I was, well, me. Of course, he would take advantage, get what he want, and take off with the girl he really claimed as his.

I cried for a while, I cried until my eyes ran dry, but I remained sitting slumped against the wall, staring out emptily into space. The phone rang once, but I didn't answer it, instead drowning myself in my own self loathing, for there was no one else to be mad at. I deserved this, I knew full well what I was getting into, but I didn't listen. I got attached, and maybe that's what the Joker was trying to teach me.

Then, it rang again, and again, and I finally regained some composure, standing to answer it.

I picked the phone up from the receiver and held it to my ear, sniffling once before speaking. " Hello?" I croaked, my voice dry, but the other end was deathly silent. " Hello?" I said again, but I was greeted with the same response. Shrugging, I hung up and thought nothing else of it.

I didn't want to be alone anymore. I needed to be with someone, someone who would understand. I needed my best friend. So I grabbed a stray shirt and ran to the elevator of Bruce's Penthouse.

I ran into the door, just as soon as Bruce ran out, and we collided with each other loudly. His face was pull of panic and worry, but upon seeing me, he smiled relieved.

" Thank god you're alright." He breathed helping me through the door and I laughed breathlessly, rubbing my forehead. " No thanks to you." I joked, but my voice was missing its usual playful demeanor. And Bruce could hear it.

" B, are you alright?" He asks as we walk to the couch. He sits me down before taking the spot beside me, his hand holding mine tightly.

I look down to my hands and I sniffle once more, readying myself for the waterworks.

" This is where you get to say, I told you so. Because everything you said was right. Everything." I breathed, no longer able to feel the tears stream down my cheeks, but knowing they are there.

He pulled me into his arms tightly, and I wrapped my arms around him. He rubbed my back as he whispered, " I didn't want to be right."

" Yes you did." I whispered back through sobs. He was silent.

The tears left as quickly as they came, and as I pulled away, I wiped my eyes. Bruce was rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb as I pulled myself together, and I tried to subtly change the subject.

" So um Bruce, why were you racing out of here as fast as you were when I got here?" I asked, ready to hear about anything besides my current situation. But when his eyes met mine, my heart dropped.

" I was worried about you." He said, looking out the window, but there was more he was holding back.

" Why?" I asked curiously, my voice still sounding filled with tears.

" Well. I- I got a phone call. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't track it. It said to check on you. It said you might be in trouble, you, you might be hurt." He said, his voice strained. And I couldn't help but wonder who could have possibly made the call. If it were the Joker, it would have been full of amusement, and Bruce would have known instantly who it was.

" Was it a woman's voice?" I asked, and he looked at me skeptically before shaking his head.

" No, it was distinctly male."

We were silent for a few moments, but I didn't want to be anywhere else but here. I nestled myself into Bruce's arms and just let him hold me, no longer preoccupied with keeping up walls. No longer worried about being weak.

I fiddled with his jacket as the minutes ticked on, but before long, we were interrupted by Alfred's warm voice.

" Sir. There's something going on in Gotham Central, and the Joker's behind it. It's the opportune moment to catch him I believe." He spoke, his comforting voice no longer having the same effect. At the mention of the Joker, I stiffened, and at my side, Bruce rose to his feet.

" Ill get right on that Alfred." Bruce spoke as Alfred hurried off to the Batcave. Bruce looked down to me, grabbing hold of both my arms.

" I'm going to catch him, Annabelle. He won't hurt you ever again." HE soothed, and I looked up to him with doe eyes. I didn't want him going, I didn't care anymore. I didn't want him to get hurt but secretly, I still didn't want Bruce to hurt him. He may have hurt me, but I could never hurt him. So I clung to anything I could to keep him here.

" B-but its day. Batman doesn't come out during the day, Bruce." I spoke, and he only chuckled.

" It's a good thing its not day then, huh?" He said, and my head turned to the window. He was right. Its really a wonder how fast the day goes when your desperately hiding from the night.

" When I'm gone, please stay here. Here is the only place I'll know you are safe. So please, for me." His eyes are full of that innocence that only I had ever seen. He really cared, and this is what caring looked like. Doing everything in your power to protect someone, even when you know you can't. Maybe Bruce was the better man.

I nodded a silent yes, and he was off.

Now alone in a giant penthouse, I let myself wander around. Everything held an eerie darkness about it, and in every room I entered, I switched on the light, no longer feeling safe in the darkness. After all, I no longer had someone the darkness was afraid of.

Growing bored of searching the penthouse, I mosied on back to the living room, where I found a remote to a seemingly invisible television. Pressing the power button, a large plasma screen revealed itself from behind a mirror. _Clever._

The screen turned on, and what else would be on but Gotham City News.

"HELLLLLOOOOO GOTHAM!!! I just wanted to introduce myself. I am The Joker, but I'm _sure _you already knew that. And I'm just here to say that I would love to bring everyone in this sad forsaken city miles of smiles. So hello goodbye you're all gonna die! Heh... Hehe... heheh... heheheheahahahaHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!! Sorry sorry, sometimes I just kill me... _Ahh... _Especially when I think about killing all of you!" The Camera's were all on the Joker as he danced around Gotham square, his mystery girl at his side. His men were scattered around the square, their guns pointing in every direction. And all the people were cowering in fear, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it funny.

But even though the situation cracked a smile on my face, I didn't quite understand the purpose of his act. It lacked meaning, it lacked depth. But then I saw it. A lone marionette hanging from its neck in the midst of it all. And I instantly knew his meaning.

I ran to the door, hoping to find what I was looking for, and when I did, I was gone.

I dashed to the elevator and waited impatiently as it slowly made it's decent to the underground parking lot. The parking lot used to hold only one person's cars. Not knowing which keys I had grabbed, I pressed the siren button, shocked when the car a few feet away went off. I climbed quickly into the black Bentley, shoving the keys into the ignition, and took off out of the lot.

The drive to Gotham Central was all a blur as I raced through lanes of cars, nearly killing myself in the process, but I was too determined to care at this point. All I could focus on was the confrontation I would soon face. The Joker was calling for me, that much I knew, but as to why was still a mystery.

I came to a quick halt at the thick line of police cars. They surrounded the entire square like leeches, and it would require me to be invisible to get by. Luckily, the Gotham police were far too busy trying to get by themselves, than worrying about other's getting in.

I maneuvered around the horrified spectators, then past the pile of squad cars. Getting around the officers was a bit harder. I took careful steps, slow and deliberate, and always kept my head down. And from all the pushing I was getting from side to side, I could tell they were more interested in getting by than stopping me. And I guess it wasn't a big worry on their mind.

I mean, who's want to run _to _the Joker?

Finally at the front of the line, I looked around, and spotted Gordon a few people to my left. He was talking with another officer, worry lines creasing his forehead. And as I turned my attention to the scene in front, I understood why.

Everyone within the square had a bomb attached to them, and the Joker held the detonator.

A shiver ran down my spine as I looked around, searching for Bruce. I was about to give up when I saw a black silhouette of a man on top of on of the nearby buildings. A smile graced my lips.

But I didn't stay there for long, because I knew what I had to do. It was the only way this could end, even if it wasn't a permanent ending.

Closing my eyes, I took a step forward, and everyone's attention slowly turned to me. Opening my eyes slowly, everything seemed to fade away. The only things here being myself and the Joker. All the noise, all the people, all the chaos, _gone. _and after clearing my throat, I spoke.

" You wanted me, now you've got me."

That devilish smirk widens.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that count. That's when you find out who you are. _

* * *

I Hope that was worth your while, because i had loads of fun writing it. Sorry if it makes you sad, it makes me sad too, but this isn't the end. Believe me, there are more twists coming. But i was just in a bummed mood when i wrote this, though i had alays planned for this to happen, but i was watching Big Brother and Jesse left! I was deeply aggitated. Anyway, sorry for my rambling. Again, 10 reviews in 24 hours and you will be rewarded (:

One more thing, the Italicised paragraph in the beginning and end of this chapter are like a narration from a third person as if they were telling the story just to clear that up. (:

Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart


	33. Walk On Water Or Drown

_A/N: Here it is!!!!!!! Yay lol i'm happy about his one. Yes, i am (: Hope you enjoy and thanks to all that reviewed. Really helps. Review again as well. PLease? Anyway, another great chapter here, though might make you a bit mad at me SORRY! But there are still chapters left so don't get too angry. As Always, read and review. Just don't forget to enjoy!  
_

_Disclaimer: Now if i Owned Batman, would i be writing here? I think not._

* * *

_Well I guess that it's typical  
To cling to memories you'll never get back again  
And to sort through old photographs  
Of a summer long ago  
Or a friend that you used to know_

_The fantasy is simple. Pleasure is good, and twice as much pleasure is better. That pain is bad, and no pain is better. But the reality is different. The reality is that pain is there to tell us something, and there's only so much pleasure we can take without getting a stomach ache. And maybe that's okay. Maybe some fantasies are only supposed to live in our dreams._

_OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO_

" _You want me, now you've got me."_

_That Devilish smirk widens._

The Joker strolled forward, hiding the detonator within his jacket and pulling out his signature switchblade, twirling it within his fingers. I curled my hand into a fist at my side, my knuckles screaming in protest, but at that moment, I didn't even notice.

" I see you've made it-_ah._" He drawled, circling me predatorily, but my eyes stayed focused on the women across from me, her eyes dancing with a fire I had seen so many times in the Joker's eyes. It made me sick.

" You know me, can't stay away from a party." I shot back sarcastically, surprised at how calm I had become. As if the hurt and pain he put me through didn't mean a thing anymore.

He chuckled at my response and stopped a few feet in front of me, his head cocked to the side and his tongue dancing along his bottom lip. And the way the moonlight shone down on him made me weak at the knees, but I had to be strong. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he broke me down, even if it was too late for me to turn back now.

He bounced toward me menacingly, his blade still held securely in his hands, as he trailed his free hand up my arm to the back of my neck. He as inches from me now, his grip rough and his face staring down at me cruelly. But all I could do was stare right back.

" Your not afraid." He stated, and it wasn't a question. He knew me all to well. Of course I wasn't afraid, though right now I knew I should be. If he was to hurt me, I knew I had, had it coming. And dying would be nothing compared to the hurt and pain I felt now. But the way he said it, his voice had gotten softer, the same way he used to talk to me before..

His eyes squinted slightly as he chewed at his scars before pulling me roughly towards the center of the square, turning me to face the crowd of spectators.

The Joker cleared his throat before tossing me onto the ground roughly, and as I tried to get up, _she_ held me down.

The Joker sauntered around the square, and evil smirk on his lips before turning to the crowd of onlookers. He was playing with the detonator within his hands but placed it back into his pocket as he began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! You've read about it in the papers! Now witness, before your very eyes, that most rare and tragic of nature's mistakes-_ah_! I give you: the average _woman_." He started, opening his arms widely as he looked over his shoulder at me. The crowd went deathly silent.

"Physically unremarkable-_ah_, it instead possesses a deform_ed_ set of values. Notice the uh _hideously_ bloated sense of humanity's im-por-tance. Also note the club-footed social conscience and the withered optimism." He was giggling madly as he walked but over to me, looking down at me with a macabre gleam in his otherwise lifeless eyes.

"It's certainly not for the squeamish, is it-_ah_? Most repulsive of all, are its frail and _useless_ notions of order and sanity. If uh too much weight is placed upon them…" The Joker bent down, playing with a piece of my hair before stomping down with all the strength he could muster.

".. they snap." a loud crack echoed throughout the square along with a horrified scream. My hand was instantly broken.

" How does it live, I hear you ask? How does this poor _pathetic_ specimen survive in today's harsh and irrational environment? I'm afraid the uh sad answer is, 'Not very well'," He made his way back toward the crowd who quickly backed up as well, but that didn't stop him from finishing what he started.

" Faced with the _inescapable_ fact that human existence is mad, random, and pointl_ess_, one in eight of them crack up and go stark slavering buggo! Who can uh blame them? In a world as psychotic as this... any other response would be _crazy_!"

He threw his arms up in a show, and began laughing hysterically. Behind me, the girl was laughing as well, but it seemed more sadistic, more evil than the Joker's amused tone.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, who decides to show up.

Batman flew down stealthily, landing quietly behind the Joker. But before he could make his move, Joker spun around, his eyes twinkling in delight.

" I see you received the uh _invitation _I sent you. I'm glad. I did _so _want you to be here." He giggled preparing for a fight, and I couldn't help but clamp my eyes shut, not wanting to see either of them get hurt.

" This is it, Joker. I hope you enjoyed your last night out of Arkham." Bruce said gruffly, and the Joker only laughed louder.

" Oh _batsy. _This isn't my last night! But uh when that night comes-_ah_, I'm sure I'll have a _ball._" He snickered, ducking away from Bruce's first punch.

Soon, the fight got more violent, both making contact with the other. Few other words were exchanged, but I knew this wouldn't be there last dance. It would never end. And out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the police began to make their move, and I wasn't the only one.

Suddenly, I was pulled into an upright position, and a loud shot rang through my ears. Everything seemed to stop. Batman and Joker stopped fighting, Commissioner Gordon stopped dead in his tracks, even the onlookers dared not to breath. All eyes were on me, or more, the woman behind me.

" Bored now" She said sighing before pointing that dun out into the crowd. One shot was all it took and everything went into chaos.

Some police tried moving into the crowd, calming everyone down while others went to the men and women strapped with bombs. Bruce was momentarily stunned, you could see it in his eyes, and in that moment, Joker punched him hard across the face, and he fell to the ground.

" NO!" I screamed, trying to pry myself loose from her grasp but she just laughed as the Joker appeared in front of us. Wordlessly, she handed me over to the Joker who grabbed onto my waist tightly and towed me down and away from the police filled square. After a few twists and turns, we found ourselves at the van and the Joker pushed me roughly inside as he climbed in next.

His arms still gripped my waist tightly and his fingers trailed over my thighs, I squirmed in disgust.

" Lighten up Annabelle. You uh didn't seem to have a problem with this the other night-_ah_." He whispered into my ear, and that was it. Using all the strength I had in me, I pushed the Joker off me as I ran to the door and yanked it open. Everything was a dark blur as I stared outside, but that second was all it took.

A pair of arms encircled me from behind and threw me onto the floor of the back, and I landed on the arm I had broken. Another shot of pain ran through me and silent tears streamed down my face.

The door slammed shut loudly and the Joker's glare was enough to scare anyone into an early grave. The Joker made to say something, but the van quickly swerved right before stopping suddenly. His gaze turned to the front.

The mystery girl, whose name I made a mental note of finding out, disappeared from the car for a few seconds, but in those seconds, the Joker took it upon himself to go out and get her back. And it amazed me how drawn he felt to her. as If he couldn't leave her alone for one second. I guess that's what the Joker is like when in love. More tears fell, but for a completely different reason.

The Joker gave one last look over his shoulder as he opened the door. Stepping out, he turned his head to the left, but before he could look in the other direction, a large bang erupted and the Joker fell to the ground. Surprised, I crawled over to the door. And standing there, a shovel in hand, was the mystery women, her eyes filled once again with an emptiness I couldn't understand.

Her gaze shifted to mine immediately as she dropped the shovel onto the ground, and before I could react, she held out her hand for me to take. I was a little cautious until a small smile made it was onto her lips. I hesitantly took her hand.

Stepping out onto the cool ground, I let out a sigh of relief, and looked out across the river to the lit city. Everything looked so peaceful, and for one second, I was somewhere else. I was by myself, on a sandy river bed watching the city twinkle in the night like a star. I wasn't faced with the harsh dilemma's of my life. I was free.

But as always, I knew fantasizing would get me nowhere and instead, I looked toward the girl who was now staring at me. She silently held out her hand again for me to shake, and that I did.

" I'm Shannon Summers." She said quietly, and I nodded, removing my hand from hers. Only then, she grabbed me tightly, pulling me into a embrace. I hugged her back not fully sure of what was happening until a sharp prick entered my back. It started out dull, but the sensation spread throughout my body. I suddenly couldn't move, my body essentially frozen. And she was smiling down at me, hatred filling her empty eyes.

She let me go, and I fell to the ground beside the Joker, hoping he'd wake up, hoping that he's save me. But now I knew I had no hope. There was nothing anyone could do to save me now.

I heard her humming as she dragged me over to a tree, leaning me against it. And she did the same with the Joker only tying him to it. It seemed I could move my eyes, but nothing else.

Once finishing, she leaned against the van, her gaze falling on to me. She was quiet as she stared, but not long after, she spoke.

" I bet your kinda wondering what's going on huh?" She inquired, her voice suddenly much different than I had ever heard before. It was high pitched, and sweet, almost like a teenager's voice.

She continued, seemingly oblivious to t fact I couldn't speak.

" Well for starters, everything I told you in your apartment was true. I want the Joker gone, and seeing as no one here is capable of getting the job done, I guess its up to me. The only thing I failed to mention, was that in order for me to kill him, I have to take the one thing he has away from him. And that one thing is you babe."

I stared at her in disbelief, thought swarming my already clouded mind. What would killing me do to him? I obviously meant nothing to him if he was so willing to throw me away.

" I know what you're probably thinking. But believe it or not, he loves ya. You see, I've been watching you two for a while. And the way he looks at you, it's the way he used to look at me. He loves you more than he lets on, because he's afraid. And isn't just the sweetest revenge to take that away from him?!" She squealed, turning her gaze to the star filled sky above us. There was a long silence for a while before we heard a rustling at our side.

I did my best to look over, but couldn't see much. It wasn't until I heard his voice that I knew the Joker had awoken.

" Ow, ugh. A shovel. Really Shannon, a shovel? Couldn't you uh be a _little _more creative?" He asked, and I heard her laugh.

" Hey, I was improvising." She shrugged and walked over to him. I heard him struggling to get loose, but he got nowhere. He growled in frustration.

" You don't like not being in control, do ya babe?" She teased, watching him, before walking towards me. She bent down and picked me up, throwing me into the back of the van. I had no clue what was going on, but I knew it wasn't good. And as she shut the doors, my life, as I knew it, ended.

There were yells coming from outside, but they were muffled by the steel of the car. And I only wished I could see Bruce one last time. I wish I could tell him I loved him, I wished I could say anything for that matter. My immobility scared me too, more than knowing I was about to die. It meant that I couldn't even try. I couldn't even make an attempt at saving my life, because that was taken away from me.

The yelling stopping abruptly, and a high pitched laugh pierced my ears. That was when I felt the van began to move, slowly at first, but gaining speed as it slid down the hill into the foreboding waters.

The sound the van made as it smashed into the river was deafening, like the music at the climax of a movie before everything goes silent, and everything did go silent at that moment.

It wasn't an everyday silence, where everyone stops talking and the room is filled with a peacefulness. This was a silence far worse. Like a silent movie, where there no noise at all. Not machines making noise, not birds or insects or any other animals. It was as if everything stopped inside that van. Everything except its decent into the murky waters.

And all I could do was sit and wait as the time ticked away.

Time takes pleasure in kicking our asses. For even the strongest of us it seems to play tricks. Slowing down... hovering until it freezes. Leaving us stuck in a moment- unable to move in one direction or the other.

And waiting was the worst.

As the van slowly submerged into the black abyss, my tears fell from my eyes, and as they fell down my chin, my hand twitched. It ws small, barely noticeable, but twitch it did. And again, it did the same.

I watched as my fingers began to move, slowly, but move nontheless, and soon, my other hand followed. My toes were next and then my feet themselves. But I still felt as though a weight were being placed on my chest, holding me down to the cold metal floor.

The water had risen, engulfing the car in its blackness, and was now creeping up my waist. My body still partially paralyzed, I did my best to crawl onto one of the seats, giving me a few extra minutes as the rest of my body thawed out. But as those minutes ticked by, and the rest of my body still lifeless, all that hope I had conjured up, quickly faded away.

The water was at my chin now, and rising faster than ever. A few breaths later it reached my mouth, and within seconds, my nose was covered as well. This was it, this was the end, and the only person I wanted by my side was the man who had doomed me to his fate.

My lungs burned for air, and my mind clouded over. And soon, I submitted to the darkness around me.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Did you say it? 'I love you. I don't ever want to live without you. You changed my life.' Did you say it? Make a plan. Set a goal. __Work__ toward it, but every now and then, look around; Drink it in 'cause this is it. It might all be gone tomorrow._

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Please tell me you liked it? Even if you didn't, you should still review. I'm trying to get at least 150 by the time this story ends, so reivew. ANd yes, I incorporate Grey's Anatomy quotes cause i feel that Meredith is just so inspirational! haha anyway, what would you rate this chapter, out of 10? Let me know, and sorry for any mistakes, i haven't had time to go through it.  
Review (:

Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart

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	34. Limbo

_A/N: Another chapter for my readers out there. And thank you for all the reviews! They make me so happy! Even though the looming end of this story makes me sad:/ Oh well, more chapters soon await! Again, this chapter might make you a bit upset, but its just the way i want this to play out. And believe me, it will be jam packed with suprises by the time you finish reading. So enjoy, and leave a review on your way out. Please?_

_Warning! This Chapter involves a bit of blood and gore, just to warn you!_

_Disclaimer: I tried to lure the Joker into my house, but DC Comics took him away :/_

_Limbo: a place or state of oblivion to which persons or things are regarded as being relegated when cast aside, forgotten, past, or out of date. Transitional or midway state of place._

Somewhere far off, a small boy laughs.

My eyes flutter open, and my gaze meets the open field stretched out in front of me. Birds sing, the water cascading down the brook babbles on, everything is at peace. Butterfly's fly from one blooming bud to the next, all the while splattering the greenery with eccentric colors.

My head is swimming, a soft ringing in my ears, but my feet move forward, the beautiful pink dress brushing up against the skin of my legs. My feet tickle as the grass grazes the soles of my feet. I giggle.

A towering weeping willow catches my curiosity as I dance though the field, its dangling leaves moving themselves into an archway, allowing access beneath its foliage.

Upon closer inspection, I find beneath the draping leaves an extravagantly made picnic. Checkered blanket, wicker basket, everything. A small boy peaks his head out from behind the trunk.

His head quickly darts back, but not before I call to him, my throat itching in discomfort.

" There's no need to hide. I won't hurt you." He hesitates before stepping out from his hiding place, over to me. His hair is a light blonde, his eyes a rich brown, and his dimpled cheeks melt my heart.

" You're not supposed to be here yet." He whispers, his puppy dog eyes gazing up at me in concern. I stare back confused.

" What do you mean?" I ask, reaching out my hand to place against his shoulder. He jerks away aggressively.

" Its not time. I-I'm not ready, not yet. You can't be ready, you have so much more to say.." He trailed worriedly, backing himself up against the tree before burrying his face in his hands.

I move to get closer but my legs feel numb. The ringing in my ears intensifies as the discomfort in my throat turns to a burning that grows into my lungs. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shake away all the pain. I'm not supposed to feel pain anymore.

My eyes open to see the boy. He's still sitting against the tree, his face hidden, but I pull on his hands, tugging them away. Red engulfs my vision. His hands are soaked with it, the source being the two hideous gashes on either side of his mouth. His face is now covered in a smear of black white and red, I fall back.

The tree disappears, its protection now gone, and soon the ringing becomes piercing, to the point where I want to scream. I want to, but I can't my eyes are clamped shut, my chest is on fire, ready to explode. And the scream I have been holding in lets free, the sound lost in the watery depths.

My eyes shoot open, only to find myself surrounded by the darkness of the deathly waters. Any oxygen being stored within me now gone, but I come to a new revelation as my limbs begin working on their own.

I push myself up, moving towards the now broken window. Looking up, I still see light, and with everything I have left, I push myself to the surface. The light grows closer, my freedom approaches, but every part of my body is aching for me to stop, to give up. And I want to give in. but soon, just when I feel my lungs will burst, I break through the surface, loudly, gasping for breath as tears run down my face.

My arms flail around as I work to steady myself, the feeling in my lungs slowly dying down to a soft ache. Painful, but manageable.

My eyes begin to scan the night for anything that can be used to get me to land as my limbs have grown tired and numb. But when my eyes catch _them_,my mind sets out on its own path for vengeance.

Though my display was loud enough for anyone within earshot to hear, the two seemed to be wrapped up in their own personal affairs. And I slowly swam closer to find out what exactly they were.

My hatred towards the girl, Shannon, is unimaginable. Nothing was going to stop me from destroying everything about her that I could. Nothing. But the closer I got, the tighter the knot in my stomach became. Crawling up onto the surface and ducking behind a large tree, I watched.

" How does it feel knowing you'll die alone, Joker? Now that the little wench is gone, what do you possibly have to live for?" She was glaring at him intently pacing from side to side, a gun in her hands. But she was smiling.

So was he.

" Oh _Shannon._ This-_ah _is exactly what uh happens when you begin using that _worthless _excuse of a brain. You've wasted an _inconceivable _amount of uh time plott_ing _and _schem_ing. But worst-_ah _of all, you've been planning. Has this uh turned out-_ah _the way you _planned? _Hmm_?_"

" I should be asking you the same question." She shot back hotly. The Joker laughed.

" I don't plan-_ah_, darling."

Her head shot to the side, her expression furious. But it soon smoothed out into a grin, a mocking laugh escaping her blood red lips.

" And look where that's gotten you." The Joker remained silent as Shannon moved her gaze down to the gun in her hands. Sighing once, she cocked the gun. Her body turned to the Joker, her back to me, and her arm raised. The hand holding the gun tilted to the left.

" I really would love to stay and chat, to draw out this little meeting a bit longer, but I have places to be, things to do, cities to destroy. You know, a Tuesday." She trailed, taking another step forward. The Joker straightened out.

I stood, frozen in place, watching the scene in front of me unfold. My eyes never strayed too far from Shannon, even when the Joker spoke, I refused to look his way. I wouldn't let my feelings cloud my judgment anymore. I had made my decision. I'd kill Shannon, and I'd take my time in doing so. But I had also made another. I'd wait until after she killed _him_.

It killed me inside to think this, to want this, but its what is right, for everyone. Even if its not right for me. He used me, tricked me, made me into a monster, though I knew long before I'd end up like this sooner or later. But he lied to me, made me feel like I had a friend, someone who was like myself in so many ways. He made me feel wanted, when I was in actuality more alone than I had been in the beginning. Because of him, I pushed away the only person who truly cared about me. I had destroyed a bond that would take long to repair, if it ever would. And he deserved to die.

I did too.

" Call me old fashioned, but any last words? I'm all too curious!" Her voice was once again high pitched, the sound like nails against a blackboard.

" We're-_ah _all damaged, it _seems_."

The hand holding the gun lowered a bit, but it flew up instantly. And in that instant, I lost it.

A few feet from where I had been hiding, was the rusted shovel she had thrown astray. Stealthily, I moved toward it, grabbed it, and gripped the handle in a vice grip. Off in the distance, the lights from the city skyline shined on, illuminating the two in front of me. My feet were silent as I tip-toed my way forward, but in the final stretches, a twig snapped beneath my feet.

Her head turned to the left, everything once again silent. I stood still as stone, and after a few agonizing seconds, her head curved back to the smiling Joker.

" Goodbye Jack."

I stepped again, the leaves rustling beneath my feet. She spun around furiously, her hair whipping across her face. I tilted my head to the side as she stared at me in horror, a smile stretching across my face.

My eyes lowered down to the shovel in my hands, and in a flash, the shovel slammed across her face, throwing her to the ground. I watched her still form for a while before looking up to the Joker, my eyes holding that same emptiness I had seen in hers so many times.

" Rope?" I asked bluntly, my voice holding no emotion. His eyes were dancing as he looked to me, but upon meeting my eyes, his smile faltered. He looked down to the ropes binding him then back up at me. I stared back bored.

Rolling my eyes, I walked toward him before crouching down. I kept my gaze away from his as I searched his pockets, taking out a knife and slicing the ropes away. I grabbed the rope from around his body, bringing it over to the unconscious girl. My eyes never met his.

I took a hold of Shannon's arm, dragged her over to the tree, and tied her to it the same way she tied the Joker. Once finished, I straightened out, and watched her begin to stir. I smiled devilishly.

" Annabelle.." She Joker's breath fanned across my neck and I spun to face him, my face hard and cold. His smile was wiped clean off his face, and his voice was solemn. " Don't." I said, my voice unwavering. He reached out his hand to my face, and I took it, twisting it behind his back, and pushing him against a tree.

" Don't Joker. And if I were you, I _really _wouldn't test me."He was silent, and I dropped his arm, turning to see Shannon's eyes fluttering open. The side of her face was coated in crimson, her hair matted with it, and her eyes were full of emotion.

" W-what's going on?" She asked, trying to wiggle free from the binding roped, I only laughed at her efforts.

" Now you're scared, huh? I was starting to get a little worried there." I mocked, the Joker's knife still in hand. She noticed this, and tried even harder to escape.

" L-look I'm sorry. Really, I am. Just please don't kill me. I just, I get carried away sometimes and I didn't mean it. Please.." She begged, tears welling up into her eyes. To me, she looked pathetic.

Funny how easy it was to break down her walls, to turn her into a pathetic brat, desperate to live in a world full of chaos and horror. It almost makes you want to let her go, or break her even more.

" I really want to believe you, babe. But then again, you tried to kill me so.."

" It wasn't anything personal! Please I only tried to kill you to hurt _him." _The tears fell down her cheeks steadily know, and I cocked my head in curiosity before sliding my tongue along my bottom lip. I looked to my left slightly as I spoke.

" Well this is nothing but personal." I brought my eyes back to hers, and she gasped. "You're crazy!" She spat, kicking her feet out. I sighed. There is rustling behind me, but I block it out.

I stare down at her, an evil gleam in my eyes and I can feel the venom in my mouth as I speak, her petrified form cringing heavily as I smile. " I look around at this world you're so eager to be a part of and all I see is six billion lunatics looking for the fastest ride out. Who's not crazy? Look around, everyone's drinking, smoking, shooting up, shooting each other, or just plain screwing their brains out 'cause they don't want 'em anymore. I'm crazy? Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind, 'cause at least I admit the world makes me nuts. So if i'm crazy," I say strolling casually over to where she's tied, the knife dancing in my hand. I kneel down to eye level, sweetly caressing her cheek. "What the hell does that make you?"

She's silent, and I place the blade against her cheek, putting enough pressure to draw blood as I trace it down to her neck. Now, both sides of her head are a matching shade of red.

She squirms beneath the knife and I dig it further into the nape of her neck. She screams. A snicker escapes my lips as I jerk the knife across her shoulder, severing the strap of her dress. More tears fall, mixing in with the burgundy blood, and her green dress soon changes shades.

Suddenly, a thought enters my mind and my face brightens. I look down at her, smiling widely before crouching down and pressing the knife against her lips. " I've always wanted to do this." I whisper, shoving the knife between her lips, opening them, and pulling out the light pink flesh that almost slips from my grasp.

The knife moves in, and with one quick flick, her once dancing tongue resides between my thumb an index finger. She screams a gurgled scream, blood pouring furiously from her mouth. I can't help but take a step back, admiring my work. Then two strong arms grab my shoulders from behind.

But before I can push him away, his grip eases and he moves closer to her, his shoulders hunched and his eyes burning. Curious, I watch him.

" You get the uh best seat in the house for _Armageddon_. Say goodnight, Shannon. I always wanted to see my dame in lights-_ah_. Heh. Even in a moment of _abject saccharine_, I still got it." He tilts his head and looks my way as he finishes, nodding once before backing away. His tongue slides along his bottom lip, but I tear my eyes away from his form. Instead, focusing my eyes on my handiwork.

Her screams are muffled now, and the bleeding has slowed a bit. Squinting my eyes, I skip forward, crouching in front of her. The knife finds its way to her throat, and as the birds sing, the crickets chirp, and the city once again comes to life, the blade cuts a deep gash across her throat.

Her eyes, once again, are lifeless, empty, for eternity.

I let myself sink to the ground, giggles bubbling out from within me. Her blood soaks the grass, and soon pools around me. But I don't mind. The warm liquid feels relaxing against my cool skin. Everything feels better than it ever has. Better than it ever could. And I like it.

I'm almost lost in my own oblivion when a dry, throaty laugh shatters my reverie.

My eyes fly open and I shoot up into a sitting position. The Joker is laughing, his bouncing figure approaching me quickly. Once closer, he stretches out his hand for me to take. I stare at it coldly.

" Aren't you gonna take it, my little marionette-_ah_." He asks, waving his hand in the air as if I hadn't already taken notice. With a roll of my eyes I get to my feet.

He seems taken back as I brush off the leaves sticking to my legs, the blood leaving crimson stains everywhere. I simply turn and walk in the other direction. I don't get far before a hand grabs my arm, spinning me around.

" What the fuck Annabelle? Why are you acting so overly _emotional?_" He seethes, though there's an underlying hurt in his voice.

" Maybe because oh I don't know, your ex just tried to kill me, and you went along with it! This entire time, you were off with her doing god knows what! And I was alone, but I guess I should get used to that now, huh?" I fumed waving my arms around and glaring at the Joker.

" Yeah I guess you uh will, _princess_." He shot back hotly, and my anger dissolved away, leaving nothing but a burning hate. Silence enveloped us but the Joker didn't let it continue for long. Licking his lips and sighing, he spoke running a hand through his green locks.

" I uh, I didn't mean that Annabelle. I'm just uh _confused._ I though if you were given enough reason-_ah _to hate Shannon, you'd be more apt to kill her.So in the end, I was uh really just doing this _all _for you."

I didn't say a word.

" I uh didn't think you'd end up _hating _me for it-_ah_." He looked deeply confused, his eyes darting to the ground and back up again. My eyes fell to the knife in my hand, and I took a step forward. His eyes shot up and I held out the knife, signaling for him to take it. When he did, I leaned into his ear, savoring the smell he held.

" It's a funny world we live in."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked out from the forest, the first rays of sunlight peaking above the horizon. I didn't know where I was going, or how I'd get there, but I knew I'd be going somewhere. Anywhere but here.

It turns out, sometimes you have to do the wrong thing. Sometimes you have to make a big mistake to figure out how to make things right. Mistakes are painful, but they're the only way to find out who you really are. I know who I am now. I know what I want.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_It didn't set in a second later, it didn't set in a minute later. I'm still not sure if it ever has. I know what I did, and I know it was wrong, but not one part of me wishes I hadn't done it. Everyone deserves to die. Then, it was her turn and mine, well mine will come soon..._

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How does everyone feel about his chapter? Please reply with a review(: Tons of love for everyone who is reading and reviewing, please continue, and i hope no one is put off by my love for a good tragedy! I mean, you should deinitely keep reading, after all, things really can't get any worse ;)

Reviews(:

Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart

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	35. Calm Before The Storm

_A/N: Alright so i was so thrilled by the wonderful reviews that i updated! Isn't that Fantastic! See what you readers can do!!!!! So continue(: Anyway here is the continuation of What Doesn't Kill You. Enjoy. And whaen you are done enjoying, review. I could possible update again soon! Btw, at the end of Annabelle's pov, it shifts into like i don't know what it is, second person? third person? Because its a very powerful moment and i wanted you to read it and feel like it was you in her position. (:_

_Disclaimer: If the Joker were on Ebay, i'd buy him. Until then, He's not mine._

_And then we both go down together  
we may stay there forever  
I'll just try to get up  
and I'm sorry  
this wasn't easy  
when I asked you, believe me  
you never let go  
but I let go_

_- Mayday Parade, I'd Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About_

Gears start grinding. The engine overheats. That's how it all , all of a sudden, you just snap. Just like a car, you breakdown. You're stuck in the badlands.

Now you realize all the signs were there and you ignoredthem, completely undeterred by the inevitable. That's when you get confused. Youfelt this coming on, and did nothing to stop it, but you convince yourself it'snot your fault. I mean, after all, this could happen to anyone...right?

I find myself pacing across Bruce's living room, my heels clicking loudly against the tiled floor. The House is empty of its playboy owner, but Alfred is in the kitchen cooking dinner fit for a king. Bruce went to speak with a contractor about the remodeling of Wayne manner, but promised to be back quickly. And right now, I needed it.

I arrived at Bruce's not long after leaving the Joker earlier. And surprisingly, not one tear was shed. That's doesn't mean I didn't hurt. I did. More than you could imagine. It felt as though someone had torn my heart out and eaten it. Even if that someone was me.

That last look on his face was etched into my brain, trapped with me for the rest of my life. Though I knew this wasn't over. What we had couldn't be broken as simply as it was. He wouldn't let it be.

Deep down, I couldn't either.

I still love him, too much, and maybe that's why I know we can't be together. Because if we were, we'd both die at each other's hand. No, people like us don't get happy endings. Our relationships don't get wedding bells and white dresses. Flowers and sappy love songs.

We get expiration dates.

A soft ding floats through the penthouse, and in strolls Bruce, fixing the collar of his suit. He see's me and smiles, unaware of the events that really took place. He knew the Joker had taken me, he was there, but what happened during those hours, he didn't know. And he never would.

I filled his mind with well rehearsed lies, practiced until perfection. I had been in the van, racing through Gotham, and when the opportunity arose, I launched myself out of the unguarded door, landing cunningly into a bush, not a scratch on me. I spent the rest of the night walking through the outskirts of town alone.

Even then, I couldn't make Joker the bad guy.

He walks over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my cheek softly, I hug him back tightly, never wanting to let go. But eventually, our arms drop and he walks us to the grand dining table, the food sprawled out across it.

He pulls out a seat for me, and soon places himself in his.

The conversations stays intact through dinner, the atmosphere light and carefree. Fun. Just like it had been all those years ago. And I like it like it his. I like having this. This _normal _part of my life. It makes everything seem so real. It helps me keep my head when I've been having such a hard time with doing that lately. But I know slowly but surely, I'll lose this part of me. There's something deep inside me taking me over, pulling me under, and I'm on the verge of surrender.

But also deep inside of me, somehow I'm still there. Desperate to swim past the pandemonium sea's of my own insanity and break the surface towards reality. Yes that one inch of myself is still there but I can feel my own body drowning in this figurative sea,

My lungs burning with the yearning of calmness and tranquility.

But really, where's the fun in that?

Dinner passes, and I can quickly feel the tugging of unconsciousness as I drag myself to my bedroom. The house is quiet, but as soon as my head hit's the pillow, my eyes refuse to close.

Minutes tick by, and still, I'm lying wide awake in the bed of a queen. Its night again. The wind hit's the window, and the rain begins, drenching the city in its watery blanket. I toss and turn, I even count sheep, but its all to no avail. Once again, sleeps arms refuse to welcome me in. I sigh.

Maybe I could use some fresh air.

Wearing my shorts and a thin tank top, I slip my feet into a pair of worn black converse, and push my arms into my black pea coat, the fabric chilling against my skin.

The elevator music is hushed as it brings me down to the main floor, which is almost deserted save for a few employees. They nod to me as I walk through the revolving doors, the rain falling in icy droplets against my skin.

I begin my walk through the streets, the towering buildings soon giving way to more suburban areas. One park catches my eye and I make my way through it, stopping to sit on the lone swing.

Everything's quiet. Not even the crickets or the birds are making noise. The rain is the only tell tale sign that life is going on. Maybe that should have been my first clue. After all, he was like a curse, a disease, a storm, leaving everything in its path before him silent.

Maybe subconsciously I knew, for when his high nasally voice reached my ears, I didn't flinch.

" I've been uh _waiting _for you, ya know."

I sigh, looking down to my muddied shoes as they drag against the sand beneath the swing.

" You shouldn't be."

His figure emerges from behind the trees, his steps slow and calculated. He stops in front of me, but I keep my head down. His body shifts as he plants himself in the seat next to mine, the chains rattling softly.

" Can't help it, princess. There's-_ah _just…. some_thing _about you… I uh I know you _feel_ the same thing about me." He paused between thoughts, not quite sure on where he was going, as if he couldn't say what he meant.

Emotionally exhausted, I rub at my eyes tiredly.

" I'm done playing this game Joker. If this morning wasn't a big enough sign for you, I don't know what else there is. How can you expect everything to be okay."

" Because I said so." He replies stubbornly, but his tone holds a hint of anger. My blood begins to boil.

" Oh really. Are those the rules now? I thought there were no rules, Joker."

" There are for you." The way he said it, stating a fact, like I was _his_, my knees got weak, but my anger flamed on.

" Well I quit. Game over. You win. What the fuck do you want, a gold star? You beat me at your own game. I broke down, I fell in love. But its over now. Are you happy?" My swinging had stopped as I looked over at him, but his expression was unreadable.

He was quiet for a while, but his voice came back angry.

" You thought this… was… a _game_?" The roughness in his voice was barely held back, and I nodded a response. It always seemed just as I was ready to walk away, stand up for myself, he always managed to bring me back to those days before I had left the mansion. The days where nothing mattered but the two of us.

He jumped up from his seat angrily, pulling out the knife from his pocket and twirling it between his fingers. His gaze only on the knife as he paced back and forth. His burst of anger fueled my own, but his words came first.

" Why would I go through _all _of this trouble-_ah, _just for mere _shits _and _giggles?_" He seethed, waving his arms about madly.

" Because you're the damn Joker. This is the sort of shit you do!"

He stopped mid step and scoffed.

" Really-_ah_? I just wal_tz_ around town stealing chicks away only to uh find out they're really complete _psychopaths _with an intensely fuck_ed_ up past? Like I really need that shit. I have a _purpose_, a meaning. I do what I do to uh _send _a message. So listen up girly 'cause this is _yours_." He stalked towards me menacingly, grabbing hold of the chains tightly as he leaned his face into mine. His expression was twisted into a glare, and I did the same.

" This wasn't a game. It uh _never_ was. Bringing out your _true_ nature was just a great little bonus-_ah_. Don't lie. I hate liars. You felt something, whether you uh like it or not, and I'm giving ya the chance to _prove_ it." His hand disappeared within the purple fabric but reemerged with a small cell phone.

He flipped it open, running his tongue along his lips as the screen lights up his face. A few beeps sound, and the Joker shoves the phone into my hand, smiling.

My eyes look down to the screen where I see three numbers pressed, his hand holding my fingers against the little green call button.

_911_

" If you can say you never felt a _thing_. Not a tickle, not a pinch, not a spark-_ah_, then press that button. If you've uh delud_ed_ yourself enough into believing the lie… press…it. Send me away to the _mad_ house…. But if all this is _really _about is some whiny PMSing bitch bull_shit_, then I can uh accept it. And we can work things out. Just don't say I didn't warn ya." He left he phone in my hand, backing away slowly. I gulped, running a shaky hand though my hair.

I knew what I should do, and I knew what I wanted to do. I just wished they were the same thing.

I hated the Joker so much sometimes, but is that really enough for me to rat him out. Did I hate him more than I loved him? Hate was a silly emotion, so fleeting, so inconsistent, but at the same time, so is love. Was it really enough?

The rain stopped suddenly, every surface glistening from the reflection of the moonlight. The Joker's green hair hung in ringlets around his face. He looked beyond beautiful…

You clamp your eyes shut, standing from the swing. A tear escapes your eye as you near the Joker, but you know you have to do it.

In your hand, the Phone closes.

The Joker see's this, a smirk forming on his lips, a similar one forms on yours. He rushes forward, pulling you into his arms and picking you up from the ground. He twirls you in the air and he's so happy. You almost can't tell he's the Joker

You almost loose it right there.

He slowly lowers you to the ground, his eyes filled with unadulterated bliss. You've never seen this side of him before. Right now, he's not a killer. He's not the monster Gotham City knows as the Joker but the man underneath. Just Jack.

You hold back a sob as he runs his tongue over his bottom lip, smiling widely down at you, and you return it. He can't see it, but here's something off about your smile. It doesn't click. Not until the sounds of sirens meet his ears.

His head turns to the noise, his eyes squinting as the rain begins to pour down in buckets, blurring everything within a foots distance. He turns back to you, pulling on your hand to make your escape. Your feet stay perfectly still against the ground.

He cocks his head to the side as the sirens near, a small smile appearing on his face as he lets loose a giggle. He pushes your hand out of his, and takes a step back.

Sirens engulf your vision as the sound of cops appear, their guns pointed and making their demands. You slowly back away, watching the Joker smile widely, his hands on his head. He walks backward to the cops, his eyes glued on you. You're the one who looks away, the coward that you are. But you know its for the best.

You disappear in the dead of night, not even the light from the squad cars casting a gleam your way. You want to leave, to run home, but you're a glutton for punishment, a masochist if you will. You sneak around the police cars, watching as they handcuff him and stuff him into the car. The men all enter their cars now, and the Joker turns his head to the side, sensing your gaze. You're eyes meet, and a smug smile appears his face. You stare back expressionless.

In the end, you still lost.

_Joker's POV_

At that moment you don't know whether to fuck her or strangle her, but you will admit one thing, she's certainly one clever little bitch.

Well you suppose you already had insight on that fact…but _fuck_.

You think if she wasn't so staunch on saving the various sheep of Gotham City, she'd make an excellent partner. You saw the potential in her, even on that first day in Bruce Wayne's penthouse. But now that potential is going to be wasted on "the greater good of man", or whatever glossy piece of bullshit she's jumping to preserve.

It's fucking _unbelievable_, really, it is.

As far as you're concerned, she's a blatant contradiction equipped with a pulse and great tits. Ever the shameless hypocrite; ready to _say_ what she wants but never quite capable of seeing it through.

You know your actions would be considered drastic by most, and meaningful by few, but at least you're willing to stand by them.

And while you realize that dying a martyr for a lost cause is a bit of a stretch in comparison to what you had originally intended, you're more than prepared to go out like a smug bastard.

And judging from the lazy expression on her face, she's more than ready to witness it.

Clever little bitch, indeed.

* * *

Ta Da! Review please so that when i come home from work tomorrow, i'm greeted by like 30 e-mails telling me i have reviews!

Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart

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	36. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid

_A/N: Greetings!!! Though i hate to tell you this, this is the last installment in What Doesn't Kill You. I hope you're not disapointed, but pleae enjoy and review once yyou have finished. I want to know how you all feel, so take your time with some lovely feedback. Today was my first day back, and this chapter just popped into my mind and i couldn't stop. Also, the song for this story is You're Gonna Go Far Kid by The Offspring. If you would like to know the rest of the playlist, review and i'll post it._

_Disclaimer: Sorry. Still don't own the Joker, though we all wish we did. Also, theres a quote in here that is by another fanfic writer, seditionary, and she gave me permission to use it. Also, there is a quote from the book Joker in here._

_This day's black fate on more days doth depend:  
This but begins the woe others must end._

- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 3

My name is Annabelle Mathews, but I don't have to tell you that do I? You know I'm somebody… I'm on top of the world looking down. You know what I see? Do you want to know what I see?

I see the Joker. A disease. One that has been around longer than Gotham, the city infected. A disease that's **older **than any city. Hell, its probably the same disease that built the first one. It spread throughout the streets like wildfire, sending everything it touched into flames, but this time it came in a different from. A form _much _less forgiving.

There will _always_ be a Joker. Because there's **no cure **for him. No cure at all… just a batman.

I had fallen into those flames. No- not fallen. I dove head first into the flames fully aware of the consequences. I was just as bad as he was. Maybe worse. Something happened in his past that caused him to end up the way he did, but I chose this life. And that's a decisions I'll have to live with for the rest of my life.

Sometimes even the best of us make rash decisions. Bad decisions. Decisions we pretty much know we're going to regret the moment, the minute, especially the morning after. I mean, maybe not regret, regret because at least, you know, we put ourselves out there. But...still. Something inside us decides to do a crazy thing. A thing we know will probably turn around and bite us in the ass. Yet, we do it anyway. What I'm saying is...we reap what we sow. what comes around goes around. It's karma and, any way you slice it...karma sucks.

Maybe by locking the Joker away he could get himself help, at least that's what I told myself. I was doing the right thing. He was crazy, I guess I was too in a way. But he needed to go to Arkham. It would help him, right?

Or maybe it was just my guilt telling me these things.

We are left with a choice. Either let the guilt throw you back into the behavior that got you into trouble in the first place, or learn from the guilt and do your best to move on.

Either way, I knew I needed to see him one last time. He deserved that much, especially from me after all he had done. He did care about me, even though he never used those words, I knew what he meant. He loved me, in the only way he knew how. And I loved him.

I just didn't trust him.

Today I would go to Arkham, I would see him. One last time, to clear my conscience, to fulfill some desire I had hidden away. I had to say goodbye.

* * *

Arkham was a dark place, even when it was illuminated by the florescent lights. The darkness loomed over head like a rain cloud, threatening to unleash its floodgates at a moments notice.

A young doctor escorted me down the halls to his cell, the only noise coming from my heels as they clicked against the beige tile floors. Nobody knew It had been me who turned the Joker in. Not even Bruce. This was a secret I was planning on taking to the grave.

We reached a large metal door, heavily locked and the young man took out his name tag, placing it in front of the machine on the side, followed by punching in a code. There was a loud buzzing, and the door opened.

The man smiled to me, leading me down the maximum security wing of the hospital.

The hallway leading down to the Joker's room was long a dark. The lights were dim, and some were even out. Nobody bothered fixing them down here, the criminals should get used to the dark I assume.

The doctors pace quickened as we began passing rooms, I only caught a few of the name plates.

One, I saw, read Dr. Jonathan Crane, another read Carmon Falcone. But the name that stopped me dead in my tracks was neither of them, nor was it the Joker. The name read Batman.

I was stunned. They already had a room made out for my best friend, and he was really the hero, not the bad guy. But these idiots seemed to believe everything their precious news tells them. The thought made my blood boil.

" Ms Mathews?" The doctor asked me, his face looked concerned, and at the same time frightened. I could see he didn't feel comfortable being down here.

Closing my eyes and shaking my head once I looked up to him, giving him a fake smile. "Oh I'm sorry Doctor um.." I said shifting my eyes down to search for a nametag, finding it I met his eyes again. " Doctor Harris." Smiling, he nodded and lead me down to the final door on the left. Reaching the door, I froze.

I couldn't breath, my breath was caught in my throat and my eyes began to sting with newly formed tears. I couldn't do this, but I knew I had to. I struggled to hold back the tears threatening to fall an breathed in a deep, cleansing breath. Unclutching my hands, I reached out to the knob of the door.

Doctor Harris reached out his key card, sliding it down the slot, and the door beeped, signaling for the doctor to open the latch. He looked toward me once more, searching my face for something, and I nodded for him to continue. Sighing once, he opened the door letting me into the dimply lit room.

" This is as far as I go Miss." He said to me, standing behind the red line drawn onto the ground. " I'll be fine." I said encouragingly and he looked at me gravely once, before pulling the door closed.

It just hit me, but I had been saying that a lot lately. I'm fine. I'll be okay. It was so strange how easily the lies came out, so much so that I even began believing them.

My hands were shaking at my sides as I turned around, facing the open room. My eyes scanned every inch of the place from its white stained walls, to its small cot in the corner, even to the small table set in the middle of the room, with a chair set behind it.

I searched for the Joker, finally finding him asleep on his bed.

He looked so peaceful in his sleep, his mouth set into a genuine smile, and his features looking ten times softer. I could lose myself watching him sleep, but that's not what I was here to do. I was here to say my goodbyes.

The doctors had given me a button to press if an emergency occurred, but it wouldn't be used. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, at least I thought I knew. He had no clue I was coming here today, and the last time I had seen him had been as they loaded him into the cop cars, me watching from a distance, but he saw me. He knew it was me who had turned him in.

Softly, I walked around the desk until I was standing feet from the bed, and the Joker began to stir. His tongue ran over his lips once, and then his eyes squeezed shut tightly before they slowly opened. His hair had fallen all across his face, and he shook his head lightly, reminding me of a dog as he sat himself up until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed down.

He quietly started humming to himself, running his hand threw his hair as he looked up, meeting my gaze.

His eyes were soft, but once they caught sight of me they hardened, that condescending grin creeping onto his face.

" Look who it uh is… my little Marionette hmm? What do I uh owe the.. Honor?" He asked, his voice sinister and threatening. And I couldn't speak. I felt like I had the first time I had seen him at the mansion. Speechless.

" Got nothing to say? Aww, come on sweets, Ya got to say something…. How 'bout hmm I don't know… sorry?" he said, rising from the bed and stalking towards me. Every step he took toward me, I took a step back until I was pressed against the wall. His laugh coming out dry and strained.

" I-I'm not sorry." I said to him, avoiding his eyes, instead looking at his bright orange jumpsuit. " That's a lie." he growled, grabbing onto my arms tightly. He towered over me in that moment, and I couldn't help but look up to his face. The paint chipped off in places, They must have taken away his paint, but he refused to remove what he still had on.

" I know you Annabelle. I know you better than anyone, even _you._ And when you try to _lie _to me… it doesn't work. I can see right. Through. You." he whispered into my ear, pressing himself against me. But as much as I wanted to give in, I couldn't.

Pushing him away, I walked to the middle of my room, my arms crossed tightly across my chest.

" No Joker. You thought you knew me. But you were wrong." I said to him, my back turned. I couldn't show him how much this was hurting me, he would just laugh in my face. That is what he does best. Disappoints.

I heard giggles from behind me.

" Ya know. I don't thinks that's true." He said, encircling me with his arms. They wrapped around my waist, curling tightly making my breathing hard. " I'm _never _wrong. But you want to **believe** I was wrong so you can uh feel better 'bout yourself. Its easy to think this was all my fault. And as _much _credit I'd love to take for makin you the way you are, I cant. That's all on you toots." he rasped into my ear, swaying me side to side. And I knew he was right, though I'd never admit it. He always seemed to be right.

I shook my head vigorously trying to shake away my thoughts.

" What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want." He said into my ear seriously, all joking tones to his voice gone. The Joker removed his hands from my waist, placing them around my neck until his hands fully covered my entire throat.

" Did I ever even _mean _anything to you?" I asked him exasperated. My throat was burning with the tears I was holding back and it took all my strength to stay strong, but I knew my will was crumbling.

He quickly pulled his hands away from my neck, clapping them together loudly as he spoke. I turned back to face him.

"_Mean_ anything to me? Well, sure, babe! Think about it--before, I really thought I oughta kill you...but I _couldn't. _That's how bad I've got it for ya...so, in a way...you mean more to me than...than just about anything." His face was all smiles, joking, that same mocking expression that haunted all of Gotham, but underneath it I saw something else.

His eyes were soft pools of brown and they screamed with unkept emotion. He really did care, if only deep down.

I felt tears sprout into my eyes, and I couldn't stop the endless flow now pouring down my face. I looked away from him, towards the wall until finally, I turned away, heading for the door. I wanted to say goodbye but this was too much, I couldn't get myself to say those words. I just… couldn't.

As I neared the door, I heard him sit back down onto the bed with a loud creak, and my steps slowed.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow, dearest. Still, you can't say we didn't show you a good time. Enjoy yourself out there... in the asylum. Just don't forget -- if it ever gets too tough... there's always a place for you here." He spoke giggling, and I stopped midstep turning to the side to face him.

" I loved you." I said to him through the tears that had slowed. He simply smiled, and this one was genuine.

" I know you did." he said solemnly, looking down at his thumbs. And I knew this was it. This was our goodbye. And now I could move on, start new things, make new friendships and strengthen old ones. And I knew the perfect place to start.

I turned back to the door, walking the final steps until I reached it, my hand on the buzzer to let me back out.

" Your gonna go far, kid. I know it. And I'll be checkin up on ya, as you know, I'm a man of my word. Always." I heard him say from behind me, his voice louder than it was before, but strained, like it hurt him to say those words.

_I hope so,_ I thought as I pressed the button, and the doors swung open.

The last thing I heard from the Joker as I left that asylum were those same five words. Replaying over and over in my brain. And as I walked out into the bright light of the street, and hopped into the limo, courtesy of Bruce, I couldn't help but hope he was right. I loved him, and he loved me, but love just wasn't enough. It turned out, sometimes you have to do the wrong thing. Sometimes you have to make a big mistake to figure out how to make things right. Mistakes are painful, but they're the only way to find out who you really are. I know who I am now. I know what I want.

Alfred drove me down the winding streets of Gotham until we Reached Wayne Manor, finally rebuilt. The only thing on my mind being the last words I had heard from the person I would never forget.

_You're gonna go far, kid._

* * *

_Aww! I can't believe its over!!! I've had so fun writing it, and its sad that i'm no longer working on it. But reviews are always helpful, especially since the story is now finished. Thanks you, i just have one question._

_Sequel?_

_Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart_

* * *


	37. Please Read!

_Authors Note!_

_Alright. So I am writing a sequel(: And i wanted your opinions on how you want this story to play out. I can't guarantee it will happen your way, but ideas are always appreciated. The name of the story will be She Had The World so keep an eye out for it. I also have an idea on how the story will begin, and for what i have planned out, here's the song for the story. Its by Panic At The Disco and the title of my story is inspired by that song._

_She held the world upon a string  
But she didn't ever hold me  
Spun the stars on her fingernails  
But it never made her happy  
'Cause she couldn't ever have me  
She said she'd won the world at a carnival  
But she couldn't ever win me  
'Cause she couldn't ever catch me_

I, I know why  
Because when I look in her eyes  
I just see the sky  
When I look in her eyes  
Well I, just see the sky

I don't love you I'm just passing the time  
You could love me if I knew how to lie  
But who could love me?  
I am out of my mind  
Throwing a line out to sea  
To see if I can catch a dream

The sun was always in her eyes  
She didn't even see me  
But that girl had so much love  
She'd wanna kiss you all the time  
Yeah, she'd wanna kiss you all the time

She said she won the world at a carnival  
But I'm sure it didn't ruin her  
It just made her more interesting  
I'm sure I didn't ruin her  
Just made her more interesting

I, I know why  
Because when I look in her eyes  
I just see the sky  
When I look in her eyes  
Well I, just see the sky

I don't love you I'm just passing the time  
You could love me if I knew how to lie  
But who could love me?  
I am out of my mind  
Throwing a line out to sea  
To see if I can catch a dream

_If you've never heard it, you should really check it out. And by the way, the﻿ song's about a girl that loves a guy. And he wants to love her back. But shes a dreamer, her head's in the clouds. And dreamers change. I just thought i should let you know, cause the first time i heard it i didn't understand lol_

_Anyway i'd love to hear some ideas, and keep a look out for the next installment. Though it may not be for a few weeks because i still have other stories i want to continue. They've been on hiatus since i got to about chapter 30 in this story lol_

_Thanks(:_

_Adieu.  
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart_


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